Origins of the Force
by Ryuu Drake
Summary: This is a story that takes place in the Star Wars universe long before the movies or any of the EU. In a galaxy on the verge of destruction, two seemingly unrelated men struggle to survive the apocolypse, and to fulfill their destinies.
1. Har Megiddon

**Origins of the Force**

By: Phillyflyer

**Disclaimer:** The Star Wars universe in all its glory is the property of one Mr. G. Lucas. That being said; what you are about to read contains many new ideas that have been entered into the afore mentioned universe by me. It contains original characters and story line. Well, accept for Ajunta Pall... Enjoy!

* * *

"_A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there lived a people in constant struggle for power. Without law or any form of government, it was civil war without end. Until one day a man rose to the forefront and offered a solution…_

_This man promised peace, he promised order and to unite all the systems of the galaxy as one. They thought they'd found their savior, but what they got was a tyrant. This dark tyrant wrought famine, fear, disease, and death upon his people. The more they suffered the more his power grew…_

_The people prayed for salvation from their gods, but none came. Billions died, and those who survived lingered only to pass on a living hell to their children. The tyrant was unstoppable and none dared oppose him. Then, one day, when all faith had left the people and it seemed as if there was no hope…_

_He appeared. Cloaked in light and wielding a mysterious power, the hero came and destroyed the tyrant; freeing the galaxy from darkness. The hero's name was Lucias_ _and he had been sent to save the righteous from the brutality of man. The tyrant, who had been given the name Anemos, fought Lucias. But the wicked hand of man was no match for the light. The righteous one banished the beast into the void, vowing that as long as he and his children should live, the beast shall be oppressed._"

_Excerpt from the Book of Lucias_

_A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…_

**STAR WARS**

_Origins of the force_

The ability to bend reality as one sees fit, a mystical energy force that surrounds and binds all life together. The force is a power wielded by an ancient species known as the Luminos. These ancestors of Lucias have preserved justice in their galaxy for thousands of millennia, but now twilight is upon them and soon night must fall.

The planet Terresta is the last world in a galaxy about to be completely swallowed by the black hole at its center. Time and space distorts as doom lurks around the corner for the Luminos home world. A once mighty federation of hundreds of planets is now down to one, and its people struggle to make peace with their fate.

One of the elders of the Luminos council, Isaac, lives on Terresta with his four children. Fed up with the inaction of the Elder Council, Isaac now seeks to take matters into his own hands and save the legacy of the Luminos, before it is too late…

**Chapter One: Har Megiddon**

The full moon shines brightly as the only light in a pitch black sky, the stars have all gone and the sickly glow of the moon is all that reassures us we are still alive. I've been told it wasn't always like this; there was a time when the sky lit up at night like a sea of diamonds. There was no darkness, no black holes to swallow us up as we slept, no fear, no pain.

The Luminos do not age past adulthood, and so we are told we can never die. I wish I could believe that. My father is one of the elders, the original five sons of Lucias who have lived here on Terresta for over a thousand millennia. Wise beyond comprehension, no one dares to question them; and perhaps we don't need to. All would seem calm and peaceful, and every bump in the road can easily be smoothed with the simple reassurance that it is all for the greater glory of Lucias. My father, however, sees things differently.

Isaac, the youngest of the five elders, I can only describe him as an incredibly sad individual. I'm only fifteen years old and even I can see that. Terentius says that we mustn't burden father with undue questions, that he is a very important man who has enough distractions in his life. But still… I can't help but worry.

It was brisk night in late autumn that I found him sitting atop that hill, the hill that over looked Megiddo, the golden capital city of Terresta, its large marble structure with their polished golden roofs glistened in the light of the moon. Towering pillars stood before the entrance of the elder temple that was positioned triumphantly in the center of the city. Just beyond the pillars one could see the torches inside illuminating the massive golden colossus of Lucias that graced the temple's main hall. From atop the hill, the architecture that made up the city brilliantly wove together in a display of geometric perfection.

Isaac sat under an olive tree, garbed in the white robes of the elders. He had bright blond hair and blue eyes that gazed sorrowfully upon the city before him. I had spent all evening searching for him before finally finding him under that tree. It was clear that something was bothering him, he hardly even noticed me as I approached him from below; his hand lightly stroking his chin. I wanted to ask him what was wrong, what was he thinking at that exact moment? But I could not articulate such questions properly, so I went with the obvious question first.

"Father, what are you doing here? Supper's ready, you're going to be late. Father?" He didn't respond. He just continued to stare. Finally he looked up at the moon.

"Tell me Atredious, what do you feel when you look at the full moon?"

I didn't know how to respond. What kind of a question was that? What did that have to do with dinner? My mind was racing trying to come up with the response he wanted to hear.

"Uhh, well… I don't know? What should I feel?"

"Ha ha ha… How should you feel…" He smiled as his eyes scanned the sky, straining to locate any stray point of light. "Why does that surprise me? I didn't ask what should you feel, I asked what do you feel?"

"I don't understand."

"Hmph… of course not… Atredious, do you know what today is?"

This I knew. "Of course! Today is my birthday!"

"Heh, well yes it is that, but what I had meant was, do you know the historical significance of this day?"

"Can't say that I do."

"Today marks the millionth year that the Luminos have watched over this galaxy."

"Wow… and all on my birthday!"

"Yes, you always were special Atredious… I know you would've gone on to accomplish great things…"

Would've? What could he have meant by that? At the time I could not begin to comprehend the destiny that would befall me, I was only a child, how could I? I watched as my father sank back down into a depressed funk.

"What's wrong Father?"

"Nothing… nothing's wrong." He stood up and dusted off his robe, then placed his hand on my shoulder. "We should hurry home, your brothers and sister are probably wondering where we are."

I stared up at him, still with concern on my face. He shot me back an odd sort of smirk.

"Come on, I'll race ya."

I smiled back at him.

"I got you beat this time old man!"

I ran down the hill with my father close at my heels. That was the last time I would ever laugh with him. I never was as truly happy as I was that day ever again…

The next day, the sun rose over Megiddo; its light somewhat stolen away. Still the crystal waters that flowed in the fountain in front of the elder temple reflected a thousand sparkles of light. Isaac rushed past and up the steps into the temple; he hurried by the colossus and into the court room where five pedestals stood at the end of a long corridor.

The door creaked as Isaac entered, his every footstep rang off the walls making it impossible for the other elders to not notice his tardiness. Isaac took his place atop the last pedestal on the right and fumbled with his papers. The elder immediately to his left, Ludovicus, glared at him with the kind of distain one normally reserves for only the most foul of creatures. Ludovicus was a tall and loathsome man; his features were as rough and ridged as his personality. Finally he snapped at Isaac, unable to hold back any longer.

"Isaac! You're late!"

Isaac glanced up from his papers and noticed the dissatisfied look on all his brother's faces.

"Oh, I am sorry for the delay. It was my son's birthday yesterday and I had promised to spend the entire day with the children. I guess I overslept."

Ludovicus leaned toward Isaac, almost taking satisfaction in his brother's blunder.

"That is no excuse! Either you will be here on time, or you will not come at all. Is that clear Isaac?"

"Of course."

The elder in the center, Marcus, cleared his throat. Marcus was a well built man with long brown hair that dangled in front of his fiery red eyes. His voice boomed through the halls of the temple, and he always spoke in a very stern authoritarian manner.

"Enough! Let's get on to business. Isaac, you have the floor."

Isaac nodded and gathered up his papers then stepped down from his pedestal and before his brothers.

"Thank you master, umm… on behalf of the people of Terresta, it has come to my attention that our evacuation policy is somewhat lacking…"

"Get to the point!" Ludovicus called out.

"Um, yes, well the point is I would like to request of the council….funding for the possibility of a mass evacuation of Terresta."

The elders looked at each other, then back at Isaac. Felix finally stood up, he had short spiky black hair and blue eyes. He spoke very softly.

"Mass evacuation? Whatever for?"

Isaac stared at them blankly, they knew what he was referring to.

"Well, the black hole of course. You all have seen what has happened to the other systems, if we hope to avoid such a fate we must have a plan."

Ludovicus shook his head.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing Master Isaac. You know as well as any of us that the book of Lucias clearly states that the day that Terresta is to meet its end, is the day that Lucias shall return and save the Luminos from destruction."

"I know the passage, Master, but we must be prepared for all possibilities; including that Lucias may not come."

Sylvanus quickly stood up. He, like his brother Felix, was very soft spoken.

"You forget yourself, Master Isaac!"

Ludovicus grinned at Isaac, almost toying with him.

"To suggest that the book of Lucias is anything less then the absolute word of Lucias himself is treason. I will not have you endangering the morals of our society with your…"

"If we do not act now, tomorrow we may not have a society! My Master!" Isaac was irate, he was tired of these games. But he knew he had no power to stop it.

"Order!" Marcus yelled, slamming his gavel. "You know the laws of our society, Isaac. These crazy ideas of yours are not to leave this Temple; I will not have mass panic on your account."

"For a million years have I dedicated my life to the Luminos. I only want what is best for our people, and the people demand to know why nothing has been done to solve this problem!"

"What is best for our people, Master Isaac, is at the discretion of this council, not the people."

Isaac lowered his papers, visibly trying to contain his anger.

"So you will do nothing, and leave your fate in the hands of that black hole!?"

"I put my fate into the hands of Lucias, Master Isaac," Marcus said, "as should you."

"… As you wish, Master."

Isaac lowered his head and left the court room, a very bitter look about his face. The other elders exchanged glances before finally speaking.

"He knows too much." Sylvanus said, looking at Felix.

"Can we trust him?"

Ludovicus leaned back in his seat, staring at the door as it slowly shut.

"We shall see soon enough…"

That day I had spent most of the morning in my room doing my meditations. Even though all Luminos already could naturally use the force, we constantly trained to hone our skills. There hadn't been war for hundreds of years on Terresta, but Father would push us as if we'd just been drafted into the army. He always warned us that war was inevitable; I guess I just never believed him.

The front door slammed hard, jolting me out of my meditations. I could hear Father grumbling about something, and I knew something was wrong. I slowly crept down the hallway and hid behind the kitchen table as I listened to Father talking to my oldest brother Terentius. Terentius was a tall and handsome young man; his brown hair came down just past his ears, hiding his pale blue eyes. Terentius was also a great warrior. He was always Father's poster boy, constantly lecturing the three of us as if he were an elder himself.

Out in the backyard, Constans and Eva were practicing their saber techniques. Eva was the second eldest, and not a bad duelist herself. She had green eyes. It was quite an amazing thing… our mother had green eyes, other then that I've never seen another person with green eyes before. Eva's long auburn hair danced freely with the wind as she spun around, parrying Constans' blows. Constans was of medium build with short dark hair, and even though he was very young, he was also very wise. He'd spend hours locked away in his room pouring over ancient Luminos tomes.

And then there's me, Atredious, the youngest of four children. I myself had messy dark brown hair that always found new and interesting positions from day to day. My eyes were just as dark; Terentius always said that a warrior should present himself respectfully. In the old days, back when Terresta actually had an army (and when there were actually other systems to go to war with) the warriors then were known as Jedi Knights. No one knows exactly why, but the Jedi Knights were the epitome of elegance and were highly revered. I think that's what Terentius wanted for us, to be like the Jedi.

Terentius walked over to Father as he leaned over with his head in one hand and clutching one of the chairs in the living room with the other.

"Father? You're home so soon?"

"Fools!" Isaac suddenly cried out, "Nothing but old stubborn fools!"

Father stood up straight and began pacing frantically about the room. I ducked lower behind the table so not to be seen. Terentius continued to follow his every step.

"Trouble at the council today Father?"

Father suddenly stopped and turned to face Terentius.

"Trouble? Trouble isn't the half of it. They still do not heed my warnings!"

A sort of blasé look came over Terentius.

"Oh come on now, you should have faith father. We have existed for nearly a million years and just to be destroyed within the blink of an eye…I do not believe that shall be our fate."

"Terentius…" Isaac turned away from his son, he was almost too ashamed to look him in the eye. "I am as ardent a religious man as anyone, but search your feelings. Surely you can sense the doom at hand." Isaac turned back to Terentius, anticipating his response.

"I do feel something," Terentius began to stare off into space, "I feel… empty. As if there is nothing in the force beyond these walls, and that there never was."

"Listen to me son, we have to get out of here. There is very little time left, much less then the council has revealed."

Terentius looked up at Isaac, somewhat perturbed.

"How long?"

"A day… two at most."

"Are you certain? The elders said it would take years for the…"

"The elders wish not to create panic! And they do not want to accept what they know to be true. I would also choose not to believe it, if not for the warning in my heart…The Luminos shall fall unless we act."

The room went dead silent. I could hear my heart thumping in my chest; I struggled to quiet my breathing. Finally Terentius spoke.

"You're not well Father, I think maybe you should lie down, get a handle on things."

Terentius took Father's arm, but he quickly jerked it away.

"I don't need to lie down, damn it! I need to take action… my own son doesn't believe me…"

Isaac stormed out of the house and slammed the door behind him. Slowly I rose from my position behind the table and approached Terentius.

"Is it true what Father said? Are we going to die?" I asked.

Terentius didn't look at me, he just closed his eyes and smiled.

"Do not despair little brother; have faith in Lucias."

"Should we not also have faith in Father?"

"He is not himself," Terentius finally looked up. I could see in his eyes that there was a lot on his mind. "Once a few days have past, he'll come to his senses… and don't you have training today?"

"What's the point of combat training?" I groaned, "There hasn't been a fight on Terresta in over a hundred years!"

Terentius smiled at me; that smug "What I say, goes" kinda smile that just burned me up inside.

"A Jedi Knight is a keeper of the peace, and as keepers of the peace we must always be ready. Now go fetch your brother and sister and meet me at the sanctum."

"Yes sir…" I sighed. I turned away from Terentius and exited the house out the back door. Sure enough, there in the garden I found Constans and Eva finishing up their dueling practice. Constans flashing his purple saber in a Shii Cho defensive saber form, while Eva put forth the offense with her green blade. Father had given all of us lightsabers; no one accept the elders ever carried such weapons anymore. He always seemed to be preparing us for a war. Terentius' lightsaber was blue and mine was red. I always liked the red color; something about it filled me with an emotion I could never adequately describe.

I watched Constans and Eva finish their fight as finally Eva stuck out her hand and shoved Constans back using the force. She stood over him and pointed her lightsaber down at his neck.

"Hey, no fair! You can't use force powers during a saber duel!" Constans complained.

"All's fair in love and war, brother."

After the battle I ran over to them.

"Constans, Eva!"

"Atredious? Is it time for training with Terentius already?" Eva asked. I shook my head.

"We're not going to train with him today."

Constans finally picked himself up off the ground and brushed himself off.

"What are you talking about? We train with him everyday."

"It's Father, we have to help him."

Constans and Eva exchanged glances then looked back at me.

"What's the matter? Is he sick?" Eva asked.

"No, just come with me!"

I grabbed the lightsaber off of my belt and ran off down the hill towards Megiddo. Constans and Eva hesitantly followed in step.


	2. From the Frozen Abyss

"_To be Kumori, is to be alone. If there is one simple and unavoidable truth in the entire galaxy, it is this; for every yin there is a yang. For in every light there is darkness, and in every shadow there is the gleam of hope. To have fallen so far and still have learned nothing, that is man's true failing…"_

_Ancient Kumori Proverb_

**Chapter Two: From the Frozen Abyss**

The full moon shines brightly in the night sky, the trees and the ground are covered with a fresh sheet of snow. In a tree outside of a remote hut I silently watch her enter the kitchen. Just seeing her fills me with a fantastic rage; I begin to draw a twisted sense of satisfaction from the frozen air stinging my hands and face.

Who am I? Is that really important? I was told it wasn't, from my first breath of life I was shown how harsh this world can be. Luminos and humans look exactly alike, the only difference is in the blood, but that's not what they'd have you believe. My mother was a Luminos… my father was not. On Terresta, only those of pure blood are granted any rights, any self respect. My father was found and executed for his crime; the crime of loving a Luminos woman. They never said they'd killed him, there was no trial, no public execution, no funeral, no obituary… but we all knew. The elder council never announces its crimes; it just commits them, and they smile as they do so.

I was given my father's name, Carashi. His death struck an unholy fear into my mother. Fear was understandable if not even forgivable; but how she acted upon those fears, there can be no understanding for that.

I was just a small boy, maybe five years old when it happened. I waited by the window every night for him to come home and tell me stories of his day, and about his home world. One night he came home late, he told mother that he was stopped by the temple guards while he was in the city. He wanted to pack up and leave immediately, but I wouldn't let him. I begged him to tell me a story… and finally he caved. In the middle of the story there was a knock at the door, two strange men dressed all in black asked him to come with them. I asked him where he was going; he told me that everything was fine, and he'd be back soon to finish the story… I am still waiting…

My mother did what she felt was right. She knew if they found me with her we'd both be killed, so she decided to save herself. She took me far out into the wilderness and let me out by the side of the road. Her last words to me were;

"Be strong Carashi, understand your destiny."

I understand. I understand that these Luminos are not as righteous as they claim to be. The council may have the others fooled, but not me. I spent my life struggling to survive, teaching myself to fight and to hide. For a long time I sat in the shadows and watched the atrocities committed by the Luminos, but no more. This night would be different, this night I would have vengeance.

I watched her as she dried one of the dishes from the sink with the cloth that hung across her arm. She was older now, but I knew it was her. A cold breeze blew through the old woman's kitchen window. She poked her head outside glancing around before finally closing it. As she turned, there I stood, garbed in dark ninja attire and a mask that covered the bottom of my face. She dropped the dish as she recoiled, I could sense the terror coursing through her.

"I have returned to you now." I smiled under my mask as she struggled to respond.

"W-who are you?" She managed to say over the trembling in her voice.

"Come now, you expect me to believe you don't recognize your own son?"

Her expression was blank as I slowly pulled down my mask, my long silvery hair hid my facial features, but somehow she still managed to find my blue eyes and suddenly she was overcome with disbelief.

"No…" She shook her head fiercely, "I have no son!"

"Why do you deny me Mother?"

She stared at me some more, she knew why I was here.

"You… you can't be… Carashi?"

"Yes, Mother. It is me."

She moved toward me to hug me, but I quickly backed away. Tears began to fill her eyes.

"I'm so sorry son…"

"Sorry? Sorry!?" Her tears began to anger me, what did she have to be sorry for? "No Mother, I'm sorry. Sorry for you."

"I didn't mean for it to happen like this!" She sobbed.

"Happen like what? For me to be left in the wilderness, a five year old child abandoned. No home… no family?"

"You don't understand…"

I'd had enough, I reached for the hilt of the katana I kept at my side. I slowly removed it from it's sheathe. The terror in her eyes was priceless.

"No, I understand."

Her eyes widened as I stepped forward.

"What are you doing!?" she cried out.

"All I ever wanted was your love, but that was too much for you. I remember what you said to me that day. 'Be strong Carashi, understand your destiny.' Well I understand Mother, I've been strong."

I quickly drew my katana back and thrust it through the old woman's stomach.

"Be strong for me, Mother…"

It all seemed to happen in slow motion; she staggered forward, clutching at me before finally sliding off my blade and collapsing to the floor. I watched as the blood pooled around her. Looking down at my hands I could see that they were stained red. Outside I heard people talking, suddenly there was a knock at the door. They had heard the screaming, I had to escape.

Soon I found myself trudging though the thick snow pack into the frozen abyss. The sounds of the Luminos guards behind me kept me going forward, but I could not go on for long. My legs were spent and then soon gave out; I fell face first into the snow. The world around me danced and twirled before finally fading to black.


	3. Massacre at Megiddo

"_The former world of man, having been unfit to bare the seeds of the chosen, was abandoned by Lucias. And so he came to the promised land, a world he named Terresta. Lucias brought law to this world and created life that would uphold that law. These sons of Lucias he named the Luminos, keepers of the force. The blood of the Luminos is a gift from Lucias himself, and maintaining its purity must be the Luminos' gift to him."_

_Excerpt from the Book of Lucias_

**Chapter Three: Massacre at Megiddo**

A large crowd gathers before the steps of the elder temple. They pack in elbow to elbow listening to a single man atop the stairs as he screams and rants. That man is Isaac.

"Flee for your lives! Gather up your loved ones before it is too late!"

The pedestrians began to nervously clamor amongst themselves. Finally one of them spoke up.

"The other elders have told us that there is no immediate danger… we should not question their authority!"

Some of the other members of the crowd voiced their agreement. Isaac raised his palms in the air in an attempt to settle them down.

"The elders have blinded themselves from the truth! Search your feelings friends, surely you know what I say is true!"

Slowly the crowd began to agree with him, but then an odd hush came upon them. They were silenced by the presence of the four other elders emerging from the temple flanked by five temple guards.

"Isaac!" Marcus called out, "What is the meaning of this!?"

Isaac turned to the other elders who now stood before him.

"I am simply telling the people what it is they need to hear."

"You are inciting anarchy! You will stand down at once!" Marcus shouted, his anger becoming visible.

"I will not."

Isaac's statement caused the crowd to stir once again, Marcus' face began to turn red with rage.

"Then you are under arrest, Master Isaac. Guards!"

Isaac reached out his hand and a lightsaber flew out from beneath his robe and into his hand, a sleek golden blade shot out of the hilt; gold was the color of the elders.

"Stand down!" Isaac shouted to the guards.

Marcus' face twisted in disgust as he stared at Isaac.

"What do you intend to do Isaac? Do you intend to kill us all, in front of all these people?"

"Heh," Isaac laughed, "It matters not. The way I see it, we're all dead men."

Ludovicus stepped forward and carefully unclipped the lightsaber from his belt. The golden blade exploded outward and Ludovicus could not help but smile.

"I have waited a long time for this, my old friend."

Marcus quickly turned his attention to the crowd.

"Go back to your homes! Now!" Marcus shouted, "There is nothing to see here!"

"If you leave now you die!" Isaac snapped back, "If you stand and fight, you live! It's your choice!"

Ludovicus shook his head as he raised his saber.

"Not smart."

Ludovicus lurched forward and he and Isaac began to exchange blows in brilliant flashes of gold. Both of their saber styles were equal parts graceful, fast, and deadly accurate.

I arrived just in time to observe Ludovicus attack Isaac.

"Father!" I shouted. I turned back to Constans and Eva who were still following close behind me. "Come on, we have to help him."

I ignited my red saber and rushed forward through the crowd, Constans and Eva did the same. As we pushed and shoved through the mass of people, they too began to build up the will to fight. We found ourselves leading the mob as we began up the steps of the elder temple. Marcus squinted his eyes at us then turned to one of the figures dressed in black standing besides him.

"Guards!"

"Yes my lord?"

"Kill them."

"As you command."

I continued to charge up the stairs, my lightsaber in hand, when suddenly the five elder guards impeded my path. They each ignited a lightsaber whose core was a deep black, a faint gray glow seemed to ooze off of the dark blades. Wordlessly one of the guards leapt high in the air over my head and, upon landing, swung his lightsaber, decapitating one of the pedestrians. The man's head rolled down the marble stairs followed by a river of blood. The other pedestrians froze, they were in shock. Without hesitation the four other guards sprung into action. They leapt and flipped through the air, slicing the onlookers apart.

On top of the steps, Isaac and Ludovicus' golden blades locked as each pushed up against the other.

"You see what you have wrought, Isaac," Ludovicus said through his clinched teeth, "with your fear mongering."

"Fear mongering!?" Isaac replied, "Fear mongering has been the business of this council for almost a million years! We will no longer be afraid."

Just then, Felix, Sylvanus, and Marcus walked up behind Ludovicus and ignited their own gold lightsabers. Ludovicus smiled, and then shoved Isaac back.

"It's over Isaac. May Lucias have mercy on your soul."

Finally I made my way to the top of the steps. Constans, Eva and I ran up between our father and Ludovicus.

"Enough!" I yelled, "Don't kill my Dad!"

Ludovicus gave me a disgusted look, then slowly lowered his saber and turned it off.

"It will take more then children to save you Isaac," Ludovicus said, "Take him to the dungeon!"

"And what of the children?" Felix asked.

"Their fate will be the same as his."

"NOOO!!!" Isaac yelled out as loud as he could, but was quickly silenced by a strong blow to the head from behind.

The sun set that day over Megiddo, its rays no longer reflecting off the elder temple, whose steps were now stained with blood. Deep within the catacombs of the temple, Isaac sat on a dank dirt floor, unconscious and chained to the wall. The room is almost entirely dark except for the dim light from a single wall torch. A violent tremor within the earth shook Isaac awake. As his eyes scanned the darkened room, he could barely make out the form of Ludovicus standing in the shadows.

"Wha…" Isaac muttered, "What was that?"

"Your black hole it would seem," Ludovicus stepped forward into the light. The glow from the fire gave him a hellish demonic look. "The planet is being torn apart. These tremors have been rumbling all night."

"Where are my children?"

"Oh don't worry, their destiny will be the same as yours… along with the rest of this planet. A pity really…"

"You knew… then why!?" Isaac lurched forward, but was immediately recoiled by his chains, "Why kill all of these people? Why not give them a chance!?"

"There never was really any hope for them… sinners every last one of them! Lucias will not save them, they deserve their fate."

"So you're going to just let the Luminos die?"

"Oh no, the Elders and I have arranged a special evacuation shuttle. There is room for five, a shame you won't be joining us…" Ludovicus smiled ear to ear with satisfaction.

"You bastard…"

Isaac was interrupted by another violent quake that shook the entire room; bricks began to fall from the ceiling before the shaking finally ceased again. Ludovicus began to examine the walls.

"The tremors are getting worse… I'd love to stay and chat, but I have a shuttle to catch. See you in hell Isaac. Hahahahaha!!!"

Ludovicus laughed uproariously as he slammed the dungeon door behind him. Isaac vigorously shook his chains, trying to somehow tear them from the wall, but it was to no avail. Finally when he stopped struggling, he heard a voice coming from the shadows besides him.

"It's no use you know," the voice said, "You should be thankful… they didn't have time to torture you…"

Isaac gazed curiously into the darkness toward the source of the voice.

"That voice… you're…"

"Oh… so you do remember me. Yes, I'm Carashi. The murderer and freak is how I believe your brother put it."

"I thought you were scheduled to be put to death…"

"Hmph," Carashi chuckled to himself, "I guess the elders decided they were going to have a little 'fun' with me first."

Isaac slowly looked down towards the ground; he stared at the shackles now around his wrists.

"For what it's worth… I'm sorry."

"Yeah… so am I…"

Through the darkness of the night, a lone figure in a brown hooded cloak navigated the corpses that lay before the elder temple. As he made his way up the steps, two shadowy figures crept up behind him. The man ignited a blue lightsaber and quickly spun around, slicing the guards in two. The man slowly pulled back his hood; it was Terentius.

Terentius entered the main hall of the elder temple, where Constans, Eva and I were unconscious, chained to the foot of the golden Lucias colossus. Terentius turned off his saber and ran over to us; he began to shake me violently.

"Hey! Hey wake up!"

The three of us slowly emerged from our stupor, completely oblivious to how we'd wound up in our current predicament.

"Terentius!" Constans said, "Thank Lucias you're here!"

"Be careful Terentius," Eva warned, "The elder guards are sure to be around here somewhere."

"Don't worry, I already took care of them."

"All five of them?" I asked.

"Five?"

Suddenly, behind Terentius, three dark lightsabers ignited. Terentius immediately did a back flip up over the guards, landing behind them as he ignited his blue blade. He skillfully engaged all three guards, spinning his saber all about, blocking their advances. With a flick of his wrist, Terentius decapitated one of the guards and quickly spun his saber around his back to cut the second guard in half. The last guard leapt at Terentius who simply stepped aside and impaled him from behind. Terentius then returned his attention to us and cut our chains.

"Are you alright?" Terentius asked.

"We're fine." Eva replied. Suddenly a massive tremor rocked the temple. Several of the pillars in the main hall crumbled around us.

"Let's get out of here, now!" Constans yelled, already on his way out.

"No!" I shouted, "We can't leave without father!"

"Father?" Terentius asked, "Where is he?"

"They've taken him to the dungeon, deep underground." I replied. Another quake shook the ground, cracking the marble floor and knocking the four of us off our feet. Terentius stood back up immediately.

"Come on, we have to hurry!"


	4. Trial by Fire

"_And when the end comes it shall strike with fire and with the sword. The evil one will come and slay his brother, but even in death Lucias is with them, and they are granted renewed strength. The heavens shall swallow the earth and the old order shall pass away. But be not afraid, for those chosen by destiny shall endure, and they will know what true power is."_

_Excerpt from the Book of Lucias_

**Chapter Four: Trial by Fire**

Outside of the elder temple, the city of Megiddo burns. The Earthquakes have toppled buildings and have sent the city's residents fleeing into the streets in a mass panic. The sky above the city seems to bend and distort as the very light of the fires below is bent by the black hole. Inside the temple, my siblings and I make our way deep down below ground until we finally reach the dungeon. The floor is littered with debris that had crumbled off the walls. Father sat at the far end of the room, still chained to the wall.

"Father!" I cried out. He slowly raised his head, and strained to adjust his eyes to the light.

"Is that… oh no. What are you still doing here? You have to go, now."

"We're not leaving without you Father." Eva said. Terentius and Constans used their lightsabers to cut Isaac's chains, then they both helped him to his feet.

"Thank you…"

"I'm sorry Father," Terentius said, "for not believing you earlier. If I'd have been with you, none of this would've happened."

"Oh son, this isn't your fault," Isaac said as he placed his hand on Terentius' shoulder, "Hurry, we have very little time."

As we began to leave, suddenly we heard the vibration of chains coming from the shadows. A voice groaned from the darkness.

"Who's there? Please, don't just leave me here."

We all looked at each other; Terentius spoke up.

"Who are you?"

"Please, you must cut me loose."

Terentius looked over at Father and he slowly nodded.

"Cut him loose Terentius…"

Terentius nodded and walked off into the shadows. He ignited his lightsaber and we watched the blue blade flash as it cut the man's chains. Terentius then emerged from the shadows with a man in black ninja attire, he had long silver colored hair and the bottom of his face was heavily scarred.

"Thanks kid!" The man said. He then quickly ran off and up the stairs.

"Wait! Who are you? We should stay toge…" Terentius was interrupted by another violent quake that stirred up the dust in the room.

"Right!" Terentius said, "Let's go!"

We ran out of the dungeon and up the spiraling staircase. Another tremor began to shake the temple, but this time it did not stop. The shaking became more and more intense as we made our way through the main hall and back out onto the temple steps. Suddenly the front of the temple shattered as the Lucias colossus crashed through the front wall and slammed into the steps, barely missing crushing us as we made our escape.

"Where do we go now?" Terentius asked.

"To the spaceport," Father gasped as he struggled for breath.

"What good will that do?" Constans asked, "All the ships are probably gone by now."

"Trust me…" Father said. He led us through the streets of Megiddo, the buildings crumbling all around us as we shoved our way through wave after wave of panicking pedestrians on our way to the spaceport. Finally we arrived at the gates. Father ignited his lightsaber and cut off the hinges, then kicked the steel grating inward so that we could access the port. Sure enough there was still one shuttle on the launch pad; the four elders were loading it up with all sorts of treasures.

"Ludovicus!" Father suddenly shouted, his voice echoed through the air. The four elders dropped what they were doing and turned their attention to us.

"It's him." Marcus said.

"He should not have come back." Ludovicus replied, igniting his lightsaber. The other three also ignited their sabers and begin to approach us. Father quickly ignited his blade as well and the four of us immediately followed his example.

"Don't make this difficult, Isaac," Marcus yelled, "You have lost!"

"No!" Father shouted, "The corruption of the elder council ends here! We will be taking that shuttle, and the Luminos shall live on as Lucias truly intended!"

"You and your brats might as well go lie in a ditch somewhere and wait for your judgment!" Ludovicus snapped back.

As I stared into my red blade I could feel my emotions taking control again.

"It is you who shall be judged!" I yelled.

"Cute, kid," Ludovicus said in a condescending manner, "But like your daddy said, we're all dead men."

All of us raised our sabers and prepared to attack when suddenly a massive explosion burst from deep within the earth between us. A giant fissure now separated us from the elders and our shuttle. All around us similar explosions began to occur, followed by towering geysers of magma.

"The planet is being ripped in two!" Felix shouted.

Ludovicus stepped forward and swung his saber over his head.

"Then we must finish them quickly!"

"They're already dead, Ludovicus," Marcus said, "Come, we must flee now!"

"Why Marcus?" Father yelled across the fissure, "Why did it have to come to this? The Luminos are supposed to be protectors of the peace, and you leave us all here to die!?"

"You and I both know there was never any peace, Isaac. It was all an illusion."

"There was peace once…" Father replied, "There could be again!"

"We'll never know now, will we? It was a dream, Isaac. An impossible dream!"

Marcus stopped to observe the chaos around him. The sounds of horrible screams and the crumbling of the earth filled the air. A strange awed look came over Marcus' face.

"The prophecy will come true…" He said, "Just as it was written, 'And the heavens shall swallow the earth and the old order shall pass away. But be not afraid, for those chosen by destiny shall endure, and they will know what true power is.'… Peace is a lie Isaac… there is only power!"

"You shall not leave while I still draw breath!" Father answered.

Marcus shot a sinister smile at Isaac.

"Then you shall die knowing what real power is!"

Slowly Marcus' eyes began to glow bright red. Ludovicus, Felix, and Sylvanus' eyes all did the same. The five of us raised our lightsabers when Marcus raised his hand sending five bolts of lightning screaming through the air and striking Father hard. He was flung backwards and into the ground.

"Father, no!" I yelled as I watched Father writhe in pain.

"What was that!?" Eva asked.

"I don't know," Constans answered, "but whatever it was, it was out of our league."

"No!" Terentius shouted, "We can take them, together."

"Bring it on whelps!" Ludovicus called back, "You won't live long enough to regret your stupidity!"

The four of us used the force to leap up over the chasm and engage the elders on the other side. We each attacked one of them, and I was lucky enough to draw Ludovicus. We both circled around each other, sizing up the other's technique.

"Foolish boy," Ludovicus hissed at me, "I thought your father would've taught you better!"

"I am a slow learner."

Ludovicus swung his saber at me, but I quickly ducked under it and charged back with a flurry of my own. Ludovicus seemed surprised that I could match him blow for blow. Finally he unleashed a point blank force lightning that surged through my body and sent me flying backwards. Ludovicus slowly walked up to me as I lay on the ground, my chest and face burning from the attack. He raised his saber up to deliver the finishing blow.

"Courage is useless," he said, "Now die."

Just then, the sound of something whipping through the air caught Ludovicus' attention. As he looked up, he was immediately struck in the chest by a gold lightsaber. Across the fissure I could see father on one knee with his arm extended as Ludovicus keeled over. I fought though the pain, slowly rolling over to see Sylvanus and Felix lying dead as well. Terentius, Constans and Eva were now fighting Marcus, who struggled to fend them off.

"Give it up, Marcus!" Terentius yelled.

"Never!" Marcus bellowed back, "If I go down, I'm taking you all with me!"

Marcus clinched his fist and it slowly began to glow with an inner light, he then slammed it into the ground. The impact shattered the earth that the three Luminos were standing on, causing it to slide down into the enormous fissure. A rising river of magma raged down below as my three siblings now clung to the edge. Marcus slowly walked up over them.

"Heh," Marcus snickered, "Where is your Lucias now?"

"Right here, Marcus!" Father performed a force jump over the fissure and landed next to Ludovicus and me. He opened his hand, summoning his lightsaber from Ludovicus' chest, and then quickly shot me a smile before turning his attention back to Marcus.

"Still alive I see," Marcus said, "Look around you Isaac, where is this so called 'peace'?"

"I have just as much blood on my hands as you, Marcus," Father replied, "I have to live with that. But I still believe there can be peace."

"It is nothing but a dream, my old friend."

"This dream could be a reality; a true Luminos knows this… You are not worthy of the force."

Marcus squinted at Isaac, and then raised his saber.

"Then finish it!"

Marcus ran at full speed toward Father. Just before he could strike, Father ducked under his blow and flipped him up over his shoulder. With one last desperate swipe, Marcus raked Father across the back with his lightsaber before falling down into the chasm, and to his doom. Father fell to his knees as Terentius, Constans and Eva pulled themselves out of the fissure and limped over to his side. I too pulled myself back to my feet and joined them.

"Come on Father, let's go." Terentius said, tugging at Father's arm.

"No…" Father replied, calmly pulling his arm away, "It's… it's too late for me now."

"What?" I was shocked, he couldn't be serious.

"Go," he said, "Leave me here to die with my people…"

"But Father, please," Eva begged, grasping at Father's robe.

"Go!" His shout caused Eva to slowly release him. Her along with Terentius and Constans hesitantly rose back to their feet and began to walk away. But I did not move.

"Come on Atredious," Terentius called, "We have to leave now."

"I'm staying," I answered. Father slowly turned to me and looked into my eyes which began to fill with tears.

"Don't be stupid… go with them Atredious…"

"If you're not leaving… I'm not leaving," I said. Father smiled at me and gave me a hug.

"Atredious… you make me very proud son. Yes, my body will die here today; but my dream will live on."

"You can't," I sobbed, "You can't leave us…"

"Death is a natural part of life, Atredious. Accepting that is the first step toward peace. Promise me Atredious… promise me you will go on and fulfill my dream."

"Father, no…" I found myself barely able to respond as I fought back the tears.

"Promise me!... Promise me the Luminos will be a great people again."

"…I promise Father…" I mouthed the words in almost a whisper.

"Go…" He said, silently closing his eyes and leaning back against a rock. I wiped the tears from my face and stood up. I then ran to the shuttle, looking back only once before closing the hatch behind me.

I gazed out of the window as we blasted off into space. I was able to catch a glimpse of my reflection and noticed the scars from the lightning. As our shuttle cleared Terresta, I could see the crack around its center. Then, with a tremendous jolt, the planet broke in two.

"Prepare to make the jump to light speed," Constans said behind me.

"What coordinates have you punched in?" Terentius asked.

"Does it matter?"

"I suppose not," Terentius said, "May the force be with us…"

I turned back to the window and watched with tears streaming down my cheeks as the two halves of Terresta crumbled under the gravity of the black hole. Then, with a flash of light, it was all a memory…


	5. Enter the Cell

"_In the beginning there was life, and through life there was the force. Then there was man. While the force itself was neither good nor evil, man was all these things. His capacity for good is only matched by his ruthless bloodlust and war mongering. Man is to be feared and suppressed; he will kill his neighbor and poison his land. His blood is a curse upon the galaxy and should be removed at all costs. He will use all tools at his disposal to gain what his primitive brain desires above all else; power."_

_Excerpt from the Book of Lucias_

**Chapter Five: Enter the Cell**

Again my mind wandered, drifting off into the nothingness left by my past… and looming in my future. It has been nine years, but often I wondered if I made the right decision. That day nine years ago, those kids freed me from my prison, and I left them to die. Sure they were Luminos, they deserved their fate. But still… doubt casts a shadow over everything I do.

It's a miracle I'm even alive today. After those kids busted me out of prison, I managed to commandeer myself a shuttle from the elder guards. There was only one guard, the others apparently never showed up. I drifted through space for years and years before my shuttle was intercepted by the Libertas. A rag-tag group of freedom fighters from a near by star system, the Libertas had been fighting their planet's monarchy for years now, trying to stop the expansion of the planet's cities from destroying their jungles. They were all human and none of them had ever heard of the force. With my powers they gave me respect, they made me their leader. I don't know why I accepted… I guess I was just happy to finally belong.

And so it was, that for a short period of time, I was happy. But of course, that was not meant to last. I was standing on the bridge of our headquarters above the planet, Libertas Station, when one of my subordinates, Ajunta Pall, came running through the door.

"Carashi! Carashi!" Ajunta yelled as he ran up besides me, "The report has just come in, we tracked something that came out of hyperspace above the planet and crashed into the jungle."

"What was it?" I asked.

"We don't know, sir. But it was the same model of ship as the one we found you in."

Ajunta's words left me speechless. How could that be? One thing was clear, if the ship was from Terresta, it would be imperative that we reach it before the royal army.

"Listen to me Ajunta," I said, "Go into the jungle and bring anything alive on that ship here to me. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir!"

"And Ajunta!" He turned at the door as I called to him, "Bring the kid with you."

He nodded and exited out of sight.

On the planets surface, deep within the jungle, a shuttle sat in the middle of a swamp. Smoke rose from the craft due to its recent journey through the planet's atmosphere. Slowly, two young men wielding blasters approached the wreckage.

"What do you think it is?" Spin asked Ajunta. Splin was a young man with a pale face and green eyes. His brown hair was neatly combed back and he wore a tan military jacket with black pants. Ajunta had long black hair that hung past his shoulders, his eyes were black as well.

"I don't know… but I think Carashi does." Ajunta answered.

"Really? Why wouldn't he tell us?"

"It doesn't matter, we have orders. Let's go check it out."

Ajunta jumped into the swamp and waded through the waist deep water towards the ship.

"Ajunta! Wait!" Splin called after him.

Ajunta slowly lifted the hatch and entered the shuttle, Splin was following close behind. Ajunta readied his blaster as he searched the ship. Slowly he entered the cargo hold.

"Whoa… Splin, come here and take a look at this!"

Splin hurried into the cargo hold next to Ajunta. The room was filled with all sorts of treasures and alien technology.

"Look at all this stuff," Ajunta said, "Some pretty high tech equipment…"

"Yeah… I've got a bad feeling about all this…" Splin slowly backed out of the cargo hold. A light down one of the corridors caught his eye. He followed it to its source, the medical room. Inside were four hyperbolic chambers. Ajunta entered the room and walked in past Splin.

"Who are they?" Splin asked, "They look so… human."

Ajunta's eyes darted around the room, finally settling on a locker in the corner. He immediately walked over and began fiddling with the handle. Soon he was able to get the locker open; his eyes widened as he reached in.

"What's this?" Ajunta said, retrieving a lightsaber from the locker.

"Better take it with us," Splin said.

"Hey! What are you two doing in here!?" A man in military fatigues brandishing a blaster rifle entered the medical room. Ajunta quickly hid the saber underneath his shirt.

"We were just having a look around," Splin answered. The guard stared at him hard, and then lowered his rifle.

"Oh, Prince Splin. I apologize; I didn't realize it was you."

"That's alright," Splin said, "Don't worry about it."

"You two should get out of here, the royal army is going to be taking control of this area. Splin, you should go see your father, he's been looking for you, you know."

Splin turned and looked at Ajunta who nodded back at him.

"Very well, we'll leave immediately," Splin motioned for Ajunta to follow him and the two men left the ship. Outside, they watched as several royal troops entered the shuttle.

"It's a shame we couldn't recover all of that technology…" Ajunta said.

"Don't worry about it, I'll find a way to get it back," Splin replied, "I'm going back into the city to see my Father, you report this to Carashi."

"Got it."

The two men split up and headed their separate ways.

In the middle of the lush jungle, spewing thick black smog into the air, there stood the metropolis known as Coruscant. A vast cityscape that was constantly expanding its borders, Coruscant was surrounded by a massive wall that's purpose was more to lock its people in then to keep intruders out. At the city's center, there stood a large palace atop a mountain of steps and statues.

Splin slowly made his way into the palace and past the guards into the throne room. He walked across the long red carpet and knelt before the throne of the King. King James Cell V. James was a repulsive sort of man, overweight and always gorging himself on lavish foods and wines. He watched his son kneel before him with a pronounced frown across his face.

"You summoned me, Father…" Splin said.

James glared at the boy before finally responding.

"Where have you been!?" He said, spitting as he spoke.

"I was in the jungle Father, investigating the UFO that recently hit."

"You were with that Ajunta boy again, weren't you?"

Splin looked up at his father.

"Yes father, he is my friend."

"He's a menace!" James shouted, his voice bouncing off of the walls, "I told you to stay away from him!"

"I am not a child anymore, you cannot tell me who I may and may not associate with." Splin said, maintaining a calm tone of voice.

"You are the son of the King, and as such your behavior reflects upon me! You will do as I say!"

"Of course, my lord," Splin lowered his head and stood back up and began to leave.

"Hmph!" James sneered at Splin, "At least your brother had more respect!"

Splin stopped where he was, he kept his eyes ahead of him.

"I am not my brother."

"Unfortunately…"

Splin did not respond, he continued out of the throne room in silence.


	6. Reunion

"_You cannot battle the darkness within your heart, just as you cannot battle the light either. Only when these two forces are in balance and working as one, can you achieve any measure of peace."_

_Tenkai_

**Chapter Six: Reunion**

My eyes slowly peeled back and the blurry scenery that surrounded me began to come into focus. Bars. It was late at night and I found myself sitting in a prison cell with my brothers and sister. I had no idea where we were, or how long I had been out of it. I was the only one awake, so I went over to Eva and began to tug at her arm.

"Hey… Hey wake up!"

"Wha…" Eva slowly emerged from her hibernation; the others began to awaken as well. "Where are we?"

"I don't know," I replied, "But it looks like we're not getting much of a welcome."

Terentius began frantically patting down his robes.

"My lightsaber… it must be still on the ship."

"More likely they have it," Constans said, motioning in the direction of a guard standing outside the cell.

"You there, guard," Terentius called out, "What's going on here, why are we being detained?"

The guard smiled, showing off his brown rotted teeth.

"Heh heh, well lookie who's awake. You know exactly why you're here, space pirate! They're gonna throw the book at ya."

"Space Pirate?" Terentius said. Constans waved his hand in front of the guard, using the force to affect his mind.

"Where are our lightsabers?" Constans asked.

"… Lightsabers?" The guard's expression was blank.

"I'm not sure they know what a lightsaber is," Eva said, "Let's just get out of this cage."

Constans nodded and waved his hand in front of the guard again.

"You will let us out of this cage."

"… I will let you out of that cage…" the guard droned back. He slowly raised his key and unlocked the gate. Just then, several other guards rushed into the room.

"Hey! Don't let those pirates escape!" One of them yelled.

Without hesitation I extended my hand and lifted one of the guards off the ground using the force and then threw him up against the wall. The other guards looked at each other then quickly scurried out of the room.

"Hehehe, that was entertaining," I laughed to myself.

"Don't do that again," Terentius scolded.

"Hey, lighten up. I was just having a little fun."

"If we want to prove to these people that we are innocent of whatever crime they're accusing us of, we'd do well not to go around terrorizing them."

"Sorry…"

"Come on," Terentius said, "Let's find are lightsabers and get out of here."

We slowly pushed open the prison door and glared down the dark hallway of the palace. As we snuck out, the bright lights outside of the window caught my attention. The city was massive, much larger then Megiddo ever was. Unlike Megiddo however, this city was not of marble and gold, but of steel and concrete. The city was gray, and the sky above could hardly even be seen through the thick haze.

As we finally reached the end of the corridor, we came to large throne room packed with guards wielding blaster rifles. On top of an altar in the center of the room there sat three lightsabers.

"There they are…" Terentius whispered.

As I examined the shapes of the sabers on the altar, I quickly realized that mine was the one that was absent.

"Hey, where's mine?"

No sooner did the words leave my lips then did I feel the barrel of a rifle jam into my back.

"Move, pirate," A voice behind me said. I raised my hands into the air and the four of us entered the throne room. As we stepped in front of the throne a heavyset man feasting on a silver plate of fruit was revealed. He raised his hand and the guards behind us removed their rifles from our backs.

"Welcome young ones," the man said, "I've been expecting you."

"Who are you? Where are we?" Terentius shot back.

"I am King James Cell the fifth, and this is my kingdom, Coruscant."

"Care to explain what the hell's going on here?" I shouted.

"Hmph," James scowled at me as he bit into the flesh of an apple. "Such arrogance, but I think you'll soon learn some respect. Guards!"

The guards all raised their rifles at us.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of depriving you of a fighting chance. Your weapons are on the altar in the center of this room, if you survive long enough to reach them; then perhaps you will live."

"What is this, some sort of test?" Constans asked.

"You might be saying that," James grinned malevolently as he stood up and backed away into the shadows, "Good luck."

We all stood back to back as James disappeared from sight. Terentius turned and nodded, then extended his hand sending the three lightsabers flying towards us. Terentius, Constans and Eva ignited their sabers, while I was left with no choice but to stand cowering behind Terentius.

"We can get out of here only if we work together." Terentius said.

"But I don't have my lightsaber!" I protested.

"Just stick close to me," Terentius responded, "I'll take care of everything."

"Oh, great…"

The guards took aim with their blasters and Terentius raised his saber.

"Ready," he said, "… Now!"

The four of us jumped high into the air as the guards fired their rifles. The blaster bolts all missed and struck the guards standing on the other side. As we landed, I stayed behind Terentius, shoving guards aside with the force. They were completely and utterly no match for us. We easily overpowered the guards with our force powers and took them all out. When the last one fell, the sound of James clapping his hands suddenly echoed off the palace walls.

"Impressive young ones," he said, "Most impressive. Those are some interesting powers you have there; maybe you can help me…"

"And why should we do that?" I asked.

"Because I have your ship… and all of the goodies you had onboard with you. I don't know who you stole that ship from, and quite frankly, I don't care. If you help me now, I'll wipe the slate clean and you'll all be free to go."

"What do you want us to do?" Terentius interrupted.

"Help me with a little pirate problem I'm having…"

"Who are these pirates?" Constans asked.

"Recluses, savages, beastly sentients of the foulest sort! They land on our planet and raid our city, they have no honor. You've seen my troops fight, they're quite pathetic. They're powerless to stop these pirates, pirates with powers similar to yours."

"These pirates use the force?" Terentius asked, finally turning off his lightsaber.

"The force? Is that what you call your power? Whatever it is, my troops are no match for it. The pirate leader, a man who calls himself Carashi, is the source of all of this. Until he arrived, we had no problem fending those pirates off."

We all exchanged worried glances, who could this Carashi be? And what exactly was it that the King expected of us? To kill Carashi? Finally Terentius spoke up.

"Where can we find this, Carashi?"

"The pirate space station orbits this planet, you will find him there, and I will provide a transport. Go to the station and kill Carashi. Do that and I will pardon you from your crimes."

"What crimes!?" Terentius shot his hand in front of my face to silence me.

"I will have some of my troops escort you into the jungle," James said.

Terentius lowered his head and turned to leave. The rest of us followed his lead. A devilish smile spread across James' face as we left the Palace.

On Libertas Station, Ajunta quietly walks out onto the bridge and approaches Carashi.

"Ajunta…" Carashi said with a puzzled look on his face, "You're back sooner then I expected."

"Carashi, sir, we have finished our investigation of the UFO that hit the planet earlier."

"And what did you find?"

Ajunta calmly reached into his robe and pulled out a lightsaber, then presented it to Carashi. He slowly took the saber from Ajunta's hand and stared into it.

"What is it?" Ajunta finally asked.

"Luminos…"

"Sir?"

"What else was on that ship, Ajunta? Tell me everything."

Back on the planet's surface, the four of us were led into the jungle by the royal army. When we finally emerged from the thick vegetation, we came upon a large spaceport, short one shuttle.

"Wasn't there supposed to be a transport here?" I asked.

One of the troops flipped on his wrist communicator.

"Corporal, we've got a problem here."

Suddenly, as if from no where, a dagger came flying through the air and struck the trooper in the head. As he collapsed to the ground, the other troops began scrambling around in a panic.

"It's an ambush! Defensive maneuvers!" One of them shouted. The troops quickly got into formation, standing back to back all around us. There was nothing but silence. Suddenly a rustling in the bushes drew their attention. As the troops turned to look a man in black metal armor leapt up behind them and swiped one of their heads off with his katana. The troops quickly turned again and from the bushes came three more daggers that struck the remaining troops square in the back. We found ourselves standing alone amid the bloodied corpses.

"That was good," Terentius said.

From the dark jungles, two men in black metal armor revealed themselves.

"Are you the survivors of the UFO that crashed in these jungles recently?" One of them asked.

"I suppose we are…" Terentius said, "And who are you?"

"I am Jurran Reed. My associate here is Splin Cell."

"Cell? Isn't that the King's name?" Eva asked.

"It is," Splin replied, "I am the King's son."

"Then why are you working for these pirates?"

"Pirates!? Heh," Splin laughed, "One man's pirate is another man's freedom fighter."

"That man you call King is the real pirate," Jurran interrupted, "He spent all of the planet's wealth and resources building his 'grand city'. He has stolen our land and forced us out into the jungles. When we simply tried to reclaim what was ours, we were treated as criminals."

"My father has run a propaganda campaign, branding these people as pirates," Splin said, "I too had believed his lies, until my brother discovered the truth."

"Do you know of a man called Carashi?" Terentius asked.

"Yes, he is our leader. He has requested your presence, which is why we are here."

"You'll take us to him?"

"It will be our pleasure" Jurran said, leading us back towards the jungle. Jurran and Splin showed us to a clearing where a small transport was well hidden. We all huddled into the ship and took off into space.

"Excuse me," Eva spoke up, "Splin was it?"

"Yes, miss…"

"Eva."

"Eva… what is it I can do for you?" Splin leaned forward in his seat, I wasn't sure I totally trusted his intentions. A man who would betray his own father, something seemed out of place.

"You mentioned something about your brother discovering the truth," Eva asked, "I was just wondering, what truth you meant?"

"My brother… was James Cell the sixth, my father's first born son and heir. My father wasn't always the way he is now… He loved my brother…"

"And you?" Eva asked.

"James was everything I am not, a soldier, a patriot, and completely loyal to my father. The day he marched off to fight the pirates, he gave me his old sword. He said to me 'If I should not come back, fight the good fight brother. It will be up to you to preserve justice.'…I never saw him again. I searched for him, but all I ever found was his journal…describing the horror that the royal army had inflicted."

"That's terrible…"

"That's why we must fight."

"We're here," Jurran interrupted. The transport floated up to a crude looking black metal structure and docked in a small hanger bay. Splin and Jurran led us out of the hanger and onto the main bridge, where a man in black robes stood staring out into space. He was flanked by another man with long dark hair. Slowly the man in black robes turned to us, his robes covered the bottom part of his face. He reached up and pulled the cloth away from his face, revealing his scarred flesh.

"Well, well, well…" The man said, "Isn't this quite the unexpected reunion."

"You…" Terentius staggered, I stared at the man, straining to figure out where I had seen him before.

"So… It would seem I am not the only one to have survived the destruction of Terresta."

My eyes widened with the man's words. He was the prisoner we had freed in the temple dungeon.

"Who are you!?" I asked, "How did you get here?"

"I am Carashi, and I like you, have spent the last nine years drifting through space, searching for some kind of purpose."

"Nine years…" I mouthed the words to myself, could it really have been that long?

"I was found by the Libertas, they took me in, gave me a home. In exchange I taught them to fight, to use the force and defend themselves."

"You taught these humans how to use the force!?" I shouted, "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"

"Dangerous!? Hmph! No more dangerous then a Luminos. Humans are not born with an affinity to the force like the Luminos; they have to be trained to feel it. Most of these warriors only have a very basic connection to the force, if any at all. Only my apprentice Ajunta Pall has truly mastered it."

The man with long dark hair stepped forward and nodded.

"You speak as if you yourself are one of them," Terentius said.

"In many ways, I am," Carashi answered, "My father was human. And he was murdered by the Elder council for loving a Luminos woman."

"I've heard enough!" I shouted, "My father was not a murderer!"

Carashi looked at me; his face was calm, but with a very sad expression.

"Isaac was a good man," he said, "But there is no greater evil then a good man who does nothing. Your father is just as guilty as the rest of them, as all of you!"

I felt my blood boiling with anger, I stepped forward but Terentius quickly pulled me back.

"Why is it that you summoned us?" Terentius asked.

"I wanted to see whose side you were on. Typical Luminos, it seems you've already aligned yourselves with that tyrant in his steel palace. I'm afraid you won't be leaving this station."

"Wait!" Splin suddenly called out, "It doesn't have to be like this, Carashi. These are good people; I think they'll help us."

"They're Luminos," Carashi said, "They know nothing of honor."

"Please Carashi, with their help, we may be able to finally end this war; bring about peace."

"Peace!? Ha! A fine fairy tale, for the Luminos there can be no peace, only satisfaction."

"You're wrong," I yelled back, "There will be peace again, and if you don't believe it then you're only going to hinder us. We don't need the help of some half blooded criminal anyway!"

"You're not helping," Terentius scolded.

"We don't need his help," I said, "If I had my lightsaber I wouldn't need anyone's help."

"Oh, you mean this…" Carashi reached into his robes and pulled out my lightsaber.

"Give that to me," I demanded in a very stern voice. Carashi sneered at me and tossed the saber at my feet. I summoned it to my hand and then clipped it back onto my belt.

"Very well," Carashi said, "Let's do this."


	7. The Wall

"_Fear is a state of mind. Only by breaking down the barriers of the mind can one tap into the true potential of the body."_

_Ancient Kumori Proverb_

**Chapter Seven: The Wall**

Carashi's apprentice, Ajunta Pall, was sent by Carashi to lead our mission. He led us back into the hanger and into a small military air ship, most likely stolen from the royal army. It was just the four of us, Ajunta, Splin, Jurran, and maybe fifty troops to try and take the capital. Needless to say, the odds were stacked against us.

As the ship lifted off, Ajunta stood up and pressed a button on the console in the center of the room. A holographic map of the city of Coruscant suddenly flashed up on the console's surface.

"Alright, here's the situation," Ajunta said, as he began to slip into his black metal armor, "As you can see the capital city is well fortified, getting in won't be easy. The entire city is surrounded by a giant wall, and there are four heavy gun turrets situated on each side of the wall; north, south, east, and west. This makes landing any of our aircrafts directly within the city simply impossible until those turrets are taken out. That's where you come in."

"No sweat," I said, running my hand through my hair, "Those troops are nothing but lightweights. We'll have those turrets down, no problem."

"If the royal army were the only ones defending the capital, then trust me we'd have taken it by now," Splin interjected, "No, there's something far more dangerous that guards those walls. Any of you ever hear of a beast called a Rancor?"

"Should we have?" I asked.

"Rancor are ferocious beasts, reptile like with large teeth and claws," Splin explained, "My father breeds them and lets them loose in the jungles around the city walls. Those damn things won't let us get within one hundred meters of it. But if you really are who Carashi thinks you are, then they should be no problem for you."

"Sounds like fun…"

"Once the turrets are offline, the rest of us will join you at the entrance of the palace," Ajunta said, "At that point overthrowing the King should be relatively easy."

"So you're just going to stay up here during all of this?" Constans asked.

"Splin shall remain with the fleet," Ajunta said, "And I shall be assisting you. Prepare yourselves; we shall be arriving at our drop point shortly."

Our ship cut down through the atmosphere and flew low near the tree tops. We landed in the middle of the jungle, where Terentius, Constans, Eva, Ajunta and I all jumped off.

"We'll see you inside the capital," Splin said as he closed up the hatch and the ship took off again. We now found ourselves alone in the jungle. Ajunta reached into his armor and dusted off an old compass.

"Tell me you know where we are," I said.

"Don't worry, I've navigated these jungles thousands of times back when I was in the royal army."

"You were in the royal army?" Eva asked.

"Yes… it was a long time ago."

"Did you fight with Splin's brother?"

Ajunta stared into the compass for a while before finally stuffing it back into his armor. He never made eye contact with Eva.

"I did, but only very briefly. He died shortly after I was assigned to his squadron."

"So why did you end up joining the pira… err I mean, the Libertas?"

"I have my reasons…"

"Look," I interrupted, "Let's just get to this wall. Once we're inside the city there'll be plenty of time for pleasantries."

"He's right," Ajunta said, abruptly unsheathing his katana, "Our mission comes first. Follow me, and stay close; who knows what James has lurking in these jungles."

After a long hike, we finally came to the clearing before the city walls. The base of the south turret tower was surrounded with at least 200 royal troops.

"I count… about five Rancor in this area," Ajunta said as he leered through his binoculars.

"How do you want to do this?" Terentius asked.

"You, the girl, and the other guy go in on the left. Me and the kid here will take the right."

My head immediately perked up. Me and him?

"You got what it takes junior," Ajunta asked me, crouching behind a bush.

"Just don't get in my way and we'll be fine," I replied, glaring back at him.

"Good. Terentius, go on." Ajunta raised his hand up and motioned Terentius, Eva and Constans off to the left. As they disappeared into the brush, Ajunta stood up and directed me to follow. We crawled along on our bellies out into the tall grass of the clearing, making sure to stay low.

"We're going to have to make the first move," Ajunta whispered to me, "You think you can take out that Rancor over there?"

"Heh, Just watch."

I stood up from my place on the ground and ignited my lightsaber, instantly attracting the attention of the troops.

"You there! Drop your weapon!" One of the troops shouted at me. I simply smiled and then whipped my lightsaber at the nearest Rancor. The saber spun through the air, curving around as it slashed the Rancor across the neck just before spinning back towards me and into my hand. The Rancor let out a terrible screech and tumbled to the ground.

"Full alert!" the troop yelled into his wrist communicator, "Release the Rancor; I repeat, we are under attack!" Just then, I saw the flashing of three lightsabers behind the squadron as my siblings began their attack. Ajunta shot up behind me and swung his katana around above his head.

"Fun time," he said to me as he passed. A smile spread over my face as I charged in toward the troops.

Meanwhile, inside the palace, King James was stuffing his face with food when one of the palace guards rushed in to deliver him the news.

"My lord!" The guard shouted as he rushed into the throne room.

"What did I tell you?" James snapped back, "I am not to be disturbed during lunch!"

"But sir, we have an emergency. It's about the south tower, there is an attack!"

"Then quell it! Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Um, yes but I think you should know… the four mercenaries you hired… they've gone missing…"

"What!?" James suddenly stood up from his throne, spilling his plate of food.

"They're gone sir… and now there are five pirates attacking the tower; four of which are wielding glowing swords."

James' face twisted with anger as he slumped back into his seat.

"Carashi…" he growled.

"Sir?"

"Damn him! Damn that man!"

James picked up his plate and hurled it across the room in anger. He then stormed out of the palace, flanked by several guards.

Back outside of the city walls, we continued our attack, skillfully cutting down wave after wave of royal troops. I raised my lightsaber and ran at high speed into a crowd, twirling and slashing my saber as I passed. Finally I tossed the saber through the neck of an oncoming Rancor, and then summoned it back to my hand just in time to deflect a blaster bolt back into the face of a royal trooper.

In the midst of the chaos, Ajunta came up besides me and grabbed my arm.

"Follow me!" he shouted before running off toward the tower. I continued to deflect blaster fire away from him as he cut down the troops guarding the tower's entrance. We went inside and climbed up a spiral metal staircase to the top where the south turret sat overlooking the city. As the troops in the turret nest converged on us, Ajunta stuck out his hand and clinched his fist, crushing all of their rifles with the force. I then easily dispatched each of them one by one.

"Quickly, grab the controls to that turret!" Ajunta shouted, pointing to the panel at the turret's base, "Take aim at the other three turrets and open fire. Be quick about it, we have to take em all out before they can even realize what hit em!"

I grabbed the turret's control stick and rotated it toward the east tower. As I eased back on the trigger, suddenly two concussive blasts exploded out of the turret and slammed into the east tower. A tremendous fire ball shot up from the tower as the bricks crumbled away.

"Now the others!" Ajunta shouted at me, "Hurry, hurry!"

I quickly twisted the control stick and the turret jerked towards the north tower. I wasted no time firing off several shots that barely missed the palace and obliterated the tower on the other side of the city.

As I turned the turret towards the west tower, I could see that it had already begun to spin towards us. My palms were sweating as I spun the turret around as fast and violently as I could, and then fired on the west tower. It crumbled in a spectacular pyrotechnic display, just like the others. As I stepped back away from the panel, I could see that Ajunta had taken the time to rig the south tower with several explosives.

"Good work, rookie," He said as he activated the timer, "Now let's haul ass!"

We scurried back down the spiral staircase and shot out of the doors. Terentius, Constans and Eva were just finishing off the last Rancor.

"Take cover!" I yelled. We all hit the deck and covered our heads as the south tower shattered with a massive explosion. When the dust finally settled, our path into the city was made clear.

"Tell Splin to begin the landing," I said as I stood back to my feet. Terentius, Constans and Eva hurried over to join us.

"Good work. Where's Splin?" Eva asked.

"I just sent the signal, they're on their way now," Ajunta answered.

"Come on!" I shouted back as I ran off into the breach, "It aint over yet!"


	8. Revolution

"_The sun rises and falls, the moon waxes and wanes, and every child who is born shall eventually die; but the Luminos are eternal. Through Lucias, all who walk the path of the light shall withstand the test of time."_

_Excerpt from the Book of Lucias_

**Chapter Eight: Revolution**

With the turrets down the Libertas now flowed freely into the city of Coruscant for a final showdown with the royal army. These Luminos had indeed proved to be just the thing we needed to gain the upper hand against royal army, but still… I couldn't help but feel that somehow this would all end badly.

"Carashi, the city has been breached!" Jurran said as he came running on to the bridge.

"I know… what of Ajunta?" I asked.

"Splin is landing our men now. It appears that he was able to destroyed every turret… and decimated the royal army's outer defenses."

"And what of the Luminos?"

"Sir?"

"Prepare my shuttle, we're going in."

Back on the planet's surface, Splin's ship landed in the courtyard outside of the royal palace. The Libertas quickly are swarmed upon by troops from the inside. About 200 meters away, Ajunta observed the action through his binoculars.

"There!" Ajunta said pointing toward the palace.

"What is it?" Atredious asked.

"Splin… looks like he's in trouble."

"We have to help him!" Eva shouted, igniting her lightsaber.

"Splin can handle himself," Ajunta said, "We have to find the King. If James escapes, this whole mission will have been in vain."

"I don't care, I'm going in!" Eva charged off in the direction of the palace, leaving the others behind.

"Eva!" Atredious called after her.

"Looks like we don't have a choice now, let's go," Constans said.

The Libertas stood back to back, surrounded on all sides by the royal army who were brandishing blaster rifles. Splin raised his katana over his head and his men followed his lead. One of the royal troops raised his arm into the air, and then quickly brought it back down heralding a rain of blaster fire upon the Libertas. They were dropping like flies as they charged forward, Splin stuck his blade out in front of him and trusted it through the torso of the nearest trooper. As he withdrew his sword from its victim, he was suddenly bashed in the side of the face with the butt of a rifle. As the gunmen turned his blaster around to finish Spin off, a green flash abruptly sliced the rifle in two. The trooper watched in shock as a lightsaber twirled through the air and back into the hand of Eva.

"You want him? You'll have to come through me!" Eva shouted as she caught her lightsaber. The troops all turned their attention to her and raised their blasters, but did not fire. From behind them, James Cell slowly made his way out into the courtyard and stood over his son. He looked down at him in absolute disgust.

"I should've known you'd betray me…" James said in low and angry voice.

"Father… you don't understand."

"Enough!" James snapped back, "Look at you. A pirate, how could you dishonor the memory of your brother like this? Dishonor me!"

"James would've fought at my side," Splin replied, his words cut through his father like a knife.

"James was a great warrior," James growled back through his teeth, "You are nothing!... Finish him."

The troops turn their blasters to Splin. Eva is about to leap in to assist him when suddenly something above grabbed her attention.

"Look!" Eva yelled, pointing up at the shuttle coming in for a landing.

"Shoot him down!" James shouted before turning and running back toward the palace.

As the troops pummeled the shuttle with fire, I grabbed the lightsaber from my belt, a little memento from the head of the elder guards; this dark core lightsaber gave off a soft blue glow. I took the saber into my hand and leapt out onto the palace steps in front of James, my blade aimed for his neck.

"We meet again, King James," I taunted at him with a smile on my face.

"You…" He growled.

"For the tyrants, it ends today,"

"You have already taken both of my sons from me," James said, "You might as well finish me too."

"It is you who drove your sons away," I replied, "One such as you does not deserve a gift as precious as family."

"You would know…"

James' words conjured up on a sensational sense of rage within me. I immediately drew back my lightsaber.

"Carashi, no!" Eva shouted at me. But it was too late. With one solid swipe, I had lopped the King's head clean off. I felt incredibly empty as I watched what was left of that tyrant cascade down the stairs. I looked up from James' ruin to see Spin and Eva finishing off what remained of the royal troops in the courtyard. Slowly I made my way down the steps to join them.

"Why did you do that?" Eva asked as I approached, "He was unarmed, we do not kill prisoners, it's not the Luminos way."

The word "Luminos" caught my attention. I quickly looked up into her eyes.

"You'd be surprised how little you actually know of the ways of the Luminos," I answered, "…And who ever said I was one?"

Eva did not respond, she turned her attention back to Splin.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"I'm fine," Splin said, rubbing the side of his face, "It's just a flesh wound."

"Here, let me help you," Eva said, gently placing her hand onto Splin's cheek. Suddenly it began to glow with an intense light, and when she removed her hand, the wound was gone.

"Wow… better then new!" Splin exclaimed, "How did you do that?"

"It's the power of the force," Eva replied.

"I wish I could use the force like that… you think you could teach me?"

"Teach you? Well uhh…"

Eva was unable to answer before Ajunta, Atredious, Terentius, and Constans came sprinting up behind her.

"Eva! Are you alright?" Constans asked.

"I'm fine… James is dead."

"Excellent," Ajunta interjected, "That was indeed quite a show you guys put on. I never would've guessed you would use such power."

"Yes, but it is how we use such power that is the true challenge," I stepped forward and turned off my lightsaber.

"So what happens now?" Terentius asked, "Will you lead these people Carashi?"

"Me?" I had never thought about it really. Me, become the ruler of Coruscant? It was too big. Such an awesome responsibility, these sorts of temptations are better to be avoided.

"Yes you!" Atredious shouted at me, "You're the one who sent us down here on this crazy coup, if not you, then who?"

"I don't know," I responded, "I'll have to give it some thought."

I turned and headed for the palace, leaving them in the courtyard. I needed to be alone for awhile.

Later that night, I found myself slumped down in James' old throne. The city was quiet as the Libertas moved in. My eyes darted around the room until finally a silver platter that had been knocked onto the floor caught my attention. I rose from my seat and lifted the platter up off of the marble tile. For the first time I saw my scarred face stare back at me in the brilliantly polished finish of that platter, and I knew that I could not go through with this.

"Carashi…" Splin's voice tore my attention away from the man in the mirror, "Carashi, are you alright?"

"I can't do it, Splin," I answered, collapsing back into the throne.

"Can't do what?"

"This city needs a change… but I can't give it all that it requires, it's not for me."

"But we need you. No one else here is fit to lead, not even me. If only I had your power…"

"Power?" I chuckled half-heartedly, "Why in the world would you ever want such a thing?... A terrible curse it is…"

"What do you mean?" Splin asked.

"The force is an awesome gift," I answered, "but the Luminos wield it like a small child with a proton rifle. They try to make laws to contain those who would misuse such abilities; but laws only make power that much more tantalizing."

"I don't believe that these Luminos would abuse their power. They're good people and are already very powerful. Why would they want more?"

"Hahaha," I couldn't help but to laugh, "Good people… If only…"

I lifted the platter back up and stared at my scarred face; a face that bore the marks of power.

"It is a terrible thing," I started to say, still staring into my reflection, "To live in fear, never knowing when your time will come. All my life they had hunted me like an animal for the crime of existing. You see, in order to maintain power one must have control; and fear can be a very effective form of control. The Luminos claim to stand for peace and justice, but my trial was anything but just…"

As I recounted the events that had transpired that day nine years ago, I could see all of their faces again. The five of them were sitting atop their pedestals, looking down on me as if I were some sort of beast.

"Carashi!" Marcus boomed, "You are charged with the defamation of the name of Lucias, and the murder of a pure blooded Luminos woman. How do you plead?"

My demeanor remained icy and unfeeling. I would not give them the satisfaction of seeing me crack.

"Guilty…" I mumbled underneath my breath.

Sylvanus stood up, "The punishment for your crimes is death, Carashi."

"No, no, no!" Ludovicus interrupted, "He won't get off that easy! Ending this murderous freak's miserable life would be doing it a favor!"

"Our laws are clear," Isaac said, "Anyone accused of the crimes in which this man is guilty must be put to death."

"And in the eyes of the law, he will be," Marcus interrupted, "Felix, record in the log that the prisoner Carashi was killed by hanging for the crime of defamation and murder."

"Yes master."

"And Ludovicus," Marcus said, "Take him to the Labyrinth; see that he spends the rest of his days in inconceivable pain."

"With pleasure," Ludovicus snarled, grinning at me. I quickly turned to Isaac, he stared back at me. I could see that he was having mixed feelings about what had just transpired… but he said nothing.

"Such is the will of the council," Marcus shouted, "May the will of Lucias make it so!" Marcus slammed his gavel and the sound reverberated inside of my head…

I tossed the platter back onto the floor and looked up at Splin.

"Fear is the route to all evil, Splin. The Luminos fear that which is different from them, they fear to lose their power. I will not become one of them."

"But Carashi… there is good in them. Why can't you see that?"

"Believe what you want," I said, "But I will not accept this power, and I will not leave it in the hands of a Luminos. Ajunta shall take my place. I pray that together, you and he will uphold the ideals of justice… but I will have no part of it."

I stood from my seat and began to walk past Splin, my head in my hand.

"Where will you go?" He asked, "Will you ever return?"

I paused at the window. Gazing out into the night sky at the full moon, I felt a cold breeze rush in, numbing my face.

"The force shall guide me," I finally answered, "I shall return… when the time is right. Goodbye, Splin."

I pulled my mask back over the lower part of my face to hide my scars and exited the room. Someday we may meet again, and hopefully on that day, I will be the man you all think that I am…

The next morning outside of the palace, Ajunta Pall sat in the courtyard sharpening his katana when Atredious came down the palace stairs.

"Ajunta!" Atredious yelled, "Have you seen Carashi?"

"Carashi is gone," Ajunta replied, "He left last night."

"Gone? Gone where?"

"Who knows," Ajunta said examining his blade, "He always was a little shifty. But it's no matter, he has left me in charge."

"You!? Why you?"

"Why are you so surprised? Clearly I always was the best one for the job. And I know that you didn't want that pirate Carashi to rule."

"I think it would be best if my siblings and I shared the power," Atredious answered, "It is too much for just one man."

"Hmph," Ajunta chuckled to himself as he returned his katana to it's sheathe, "Maybe you're right. Perhaps… you could help me."

"Me? What about Terentius, Constans and Eva?"

"Do you really think that they can be trusted?"

"Of course I do," Atredious answered, growing a bit frustrated with Ajunta's presumption, "Why wouldn't I?"

"No reason… maybe it's all in my head," Ajunta rose to his feet and walked away from the palace toward the city, "Consider my offer Atredious, I'll be back for your answer shortly."

Meanwhile, deep in the abyss of outer space, I found myself meditating on my shuttle. The hyperdrive had been set to no particular destination, I had decide to allow my destiny to find me.

As I sit alone in my chamber, the memories of the endless tortures flooded back to me. That man had poured all of his hatred and his anger into me and left me for dead. And Isaac… he could have stopped it, but he did nothing. He wasn't sorry until he was chained to the floor next to me.

My mind continued to go over the events of that day until a faint electronic sound awakened me from my meditation. I carefully got up and followed the noise to its source. The sound became louder and louder as I approached the back of the ship where the hyperdrive accelerator was. Something was attached to the front of it that was producing the faint beeping sound, as I leaned in to inspect the device my eyes widened in horror.

_beep 5 beep 4 beep 3 beep 2…_

"Oh crap…"

Suddenly an electronic pulse surged through the ship, knocking out all of the electronic instruments onboard. I ran through the now darkened corridor to the cock pit and sat down at the controls punching every button I could in a desperate attempt to regain power. Nothing would work. Outside of my cockpit window, I perceived a large dark object closing in on me fast. It was a planet. What was on it was impossible for me to know, but I had little choice now other then to make a crash landing.


	9. The Kumori

"_To truly become one, you will have had to become lost in both light... and in darkness. Only then, after reaching the very edge of the soul and returning anew on the other side, shall you take up the blade of both yin and yang and at last bring balance to the force."_

_Kumori Legend_

**Chapter Nine: The Kumori**

As my ship broke through the atmosphere I strained to keep control. I steered toward a lake which I perceived through the tree tops; the ship hit the water like a ton of bricks and threw up against the window. I quickly picked myself up and opened the hatch; luckily the water wasn't all that deep. I swam to the shore and pulled myself to my feet, in all the excitement I hadn't yet had a chance to observe my surroundings. A lone mountain shot into the sky in the distance and the rest of the landscape was covered by large trees. I concluded my best bet was to head for the mountain.

I walked for a long time and soon night began to fall. It became cold. Very cold. My breath condensed in front of me and my damp clothing clung to my skin like sheets of ice. I knew I would never make it to the mountain as is, but I continued forward despite myself.

It wasn't long before my mind began to play tricks on me. I was certain that I could hear the elder guards behind me; I was running through the woods on Terresta, my hands stained red. Suddenly a shadowy figure passed in front of me. I couldn't have imagined it. Just then I could hear something behind me… I was being watched. I paused, my heart seemed to halt. I slowly wrapped my fingers around the hilt of my lightsaber. Without hesitation I ripped it from my belt and spun around only to be met by hundreds of natives cloaked in black, their hoods concealed their faces as they pointed katanas in my direction. I promptly dropped my lightsaber.

"Heh… umm… my mistake," I said, clearing my throat. The natives did not respond. A cold breeze whipped through the trees and sent a shiver down my spine.

"Uhh, you see… my ship crashed in a lake. I am in need of transportation… if you would be so kind?"

Only silence.

"Yes, well, I'll just be on my way then," I turned only to see that they were behind me as well. I was completely surrounded. My eyes darted back and forth, waiting for them to make their move, but still they did nothing. Finally my patience ran out. I extended my hand and summoned my lightsaber, then ignited the dark core blade. The natives lurched backwards and slowly lowered their swords. I couldn't figure out what the hell was going on. Slowly, from behind them, a man cloaked in gray stepped out before me, his face also was concealed behind a hood.

"That power you wield," the man said, "Where did you learn it?"

"What power?" I asked.

"You willed that sword to your hand without touching it. Surely obtaining such power is something that required many hardships."

"Heh, the force is a gift that all Luminos possess."

"Luminos? Is that what you are?"

"No…" I looked down at my hands, I could still see the blood, "I am Carashi. My home planet, the home of the Luminos was destroyed. My ship crashed in a lake some ways back."

The man slowly raised his hand up, gesturing toward my face. I then realized that my mask was off. I quickly brought my hand up to my mouth and felt the rough edges of my scars.

"I sense much pain in you Carashi…"

"Who are you?" I asked.

The man slowly pulled back his hood. He was an older man, although his hair had still maintained its blond color. His eyes were a pale blue and immediately I could sense that this man had great wisdom.

"I am Anjuu of Shadows," the man said, "Chieftain of the Kumori, the shadow people. We have lived here peaceably on Chinine without any outside influence for thousands of years. And now you Carashi fall from the sky carrying such a heavy burden…"

"Look, Anjuu, if you could just help me repair my ship, I'll be on my way. But for the time being, I'd really appreciate it if I could get out of this cold."

The slightest of grins appeared on Anjuu's face as he stared through me.

"Come with me," Anjuu said. He raised his hand into the air and the other natives backed off into the woods and seemed to disappear.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"There is something I must show you," Anjuu pulled his hood back over his head and led me through the woods. As we made our way through the dense trees, it was not long before I could see the lights of a village. As we cleared the tree line I suddenly noticed an imposing stone tower in the center of the village.

"This is our home," Anjuu suddenly said, "It is a hidden village, only those among the Kumori could ever find it. All others are doomed to wander the forests, lost for all time."

"Oh? Nice of you to lead me here,"

"This way…"

Anjuu continued to lead me through the village and to the round base of the tower. He waved his hand before the door and slowly it creaked open. Inside was a winding spiral staircase that led to a room at the very top of the tower. The room was well lit by candles and the walls were covered with fascinating paintings that seemed to depict stories.

"We're here," Anjuu announced, lowering his hood.

"Homely," I answered. My eyes scanned over the detailed pictures that covered the walls until finally something caught my attention. I slowly approached the wall and placed my hand over a picture of a beastly human-like creature raining down lightning on a village of people. "What is this?" I asked.

"Stories," Anjuu replied, "Passed down through hundreds of generations by the Kumori."

"This one… I've seen this before…" I removed my hand from the wall and observed the picture immediately to the right of it. The beast was cowering beneath a man in the sky who seemed to be made of light. Anjuu watched me with restrained curiosity as I continued to examine the walls.

"That," He finally said, "Is the legend of Moujuu,"

"Moujuu?"

"Moujuu is the spirit of darkness. Legend tells us that Moujuu was made into flesh in the form of a man named Anemos. Anemos of Shadows became King of the Kumori and brought about an age of darkness unlike any ever experienced before on Chinine. The dark side had consumed him."

"The dark side?" I asked.

Anjuu slowly raised his arm and pointed his finger at the drawing of Anemos spewing lightning down on the villagers.

"When ones heart is not in balance… they fall victim to the beast within,"

Suddenly images began to rush through my head. Memories of the Luminos and the endless tortures at the hands of their force lightning.

"What happened to Anemos?" I asked.

"For ever yin, there is a yang," Anjuu explained, "and so it was inevitable that through the darkness of Moujuu, a man of light would arise. Akari, the spirit of light. This man used his gifts to seal the beast away and promised our people that he would someday return…"

Suddenly it hit me, how could I have been so blind as to not see it before. The similarities were overwhelming. Anemos of Shadows… could it be the same Anemos spoken of in the book of Lucias? And this man of light, this Akari, could he be Lucias himself?

"This one," I said, tapping my finger against the drawing of the man of light, "What is that?"

"That is the covenant, the promise made by Akari to our people. 'As long as the blood of light remains pure, the beast shall remain sealed.' This is what legend tells us."

"Lucias…" I uttered under my breath.

"Yes," Anjuu answered, "How do you know him?"

I slowly turned from the wall and toward Anjuu.

"Tell me everything."

The next night I sat with the other Kumori around a large bon fire on the outskirts of the village. Anjuu climbed up onto a stone altar that stood before the fire.

"This altar," Anjuu said, "Is the site in which Akari sealed Moujuu away for all time, his blood acting as the covenant between the Kumori and the gods. Carashi, son of Akari, you wish to become Kumori?"

I slowly looked up at Anjuu. "Son of Akari"; it was a double edged sword. The title of Luminos was one in which I was never particularly proud. But with the Kumori, perhaps here I have finally found what it is I have been searching for.

"Yes…" I finally answered.

"To be Kumori, is to be alone," Anjuu said, "You must sever all emotional attachments. Until your heart finds true balance, any bonds you make will only place you and the ones you love in danger. You must become a phantom, a memory, an illusion. Do you understand?"

"I am already all of those things," I responded, "I have lived my entire life in solitude, the shadows call to me."

"Good," Anjuu said, "There is no darkness, there is no light; there is only balance."

"I am ready to learn. What have you to teach me?"

"I cannot teach you anything until you learn to find what it is you seek within yourself."

Anjuu reached into his cloak and pulled out a fist full of strange powder. He then cast the powder into the fire.

"Fire is a window into the soul. Gaze into the flames Carashi and find what it is you seek."

The Kumori around me began to chant in a strange language. Slowly the fire began to rise and the flames turned an unnatural blue color. I remained fixated on the inferno before me. Steadily the chanting began to fade away, I found myself drifting through darkness.

I soon became very aware of my own breathing. Every gasp of air echoed inside my head. My eyes focused on a figure in the distance. A man, he was familiar somehow. Carefully I stood up and approached him, he turned to me and I could see that it was Isaac.

"You…" My words were stern.

"Carashi, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for your father to die."

At the mention of my father, I quickly grabbed my saber and ignited it.

"You didn't mean for it? What are you trying to say, Isaac? That you murdered my father, but I should forgive you because you had good intentions? Well good intentions cannot save my father and they cannot save you!"

"Accepting death is the first step toward peace. Remember that Carashi."

Isaac's words fell on deaf ears. I couldn't understand how he could say that. My anger quickly became more then I could handle and I swung my lightsaber at Isaac. He immediately shot his hand out and caught my blade in mid air. I was stunned.

"Good," Isaac said in a voice that chilled me to the core, "Become vengeance."

Isaac raised his other hand and lightning exploded out all around me. I quickly ducked and covered my head. Slowly I lowered my guard and found myself back on Chinine in front of the bon fire. Anjuu stared down from his altar at me; the Kumori around me were silent.

"Now that you have been given a glimpse into your soul and have seen that you are mortal," Anjuu said, "Now you can become something more…"


	10. Of Traitors and Tyrants

"_The Luminos are the guardians of all peace and justice. Despite your neighbors sins you must always seek their redemption."_

_Excerpt from the Book of Lucias_

**Chapter Ten: Of Traitors and Tyrants **

Twilight spread over the steel structures of Coruscant, flooding the city in a soothing orange glow. In the court yard in front of the palace, Constans strolled through the garden, admiring the dying sunlight as it reflected of the palace's towering spires. Eva wandered down the steps and stood along side Constans, looking off in the same direction as he.

"Good of you to join me, Eva," Constans finally said, "It's a wonderful palace, isn't it? The way it catches the setting sun…"

"It's lovely," Eva answered.

"Indeed… reminds me of home."

Eva turned to look at Constans; the smile on his face had faded away.

"I have a feeling there is more on your mind then architecture," Eva said.

"Do you remember what Father said to the elders on Terresta?" Constans asked, "He said, 'There was peace before, and there can be again.'"

"What of it?"

"Well, what if this is our second chance? Our chance to correct the mistakes of the past, create a new council, a stronger council, just as Father had envisioned."

"And who would be the elders?" Eva laughed, "Us? Constans, you're only twenty years old, you can't be an elder."

"The four of us together are more then capable of upholding order on this planet. Trust me."

Suddenly, in the distance, the sound of footsteps caught Constans and Eva's attention. Ajunta Pall entered the courtyard from the city followed by hundreds of Libertas.

"Ajunta? What's going on here?" Constans asked.

"Oh, you didn't hear?" Ajunta said, "Our friend Carashi has decided to take an extended vacation, and he has left me in charge of things in his absence. Now, if you would be so kind as to step aside."

Constans and Eva exchanged glances, and then looked back at Ajunta.

"Where did Carashi go?" Eva asked, "We need to speak with him."

"Heh, heh," Ajunta laughed, "Oh I have a feeling we've seen the last of that pirate. Coruscant is now under my jurisdiction."

"But what about everything Carashi had planned to do?" Constans asked, "Creating democracy, giving Coruscant back to the people!"

"Mmmm… nah. Jurran!"

Jurran Reed stepped forward and stood at attention.

"Yes sir."

"See to it that our Luminos friends find their way out, and make sure to extend our appreciation for all that they have done."

"Very good, sir."

Ajunta Pall continued up the steps into the temple as Jurran and the other Libertas quickly surrounded Constans and Eva.

"Jurran, what are you doing!?" Constans yelled, "You know this isn't right, this is not what the Libertas stand for!"

"It's out of my hands… I'm sorry," Jurran stepped forward and unsheathed his katana; the other Libertas did the same. Eva quickly ignited her lightsaber only to have Constans stick his arm out in front of her.

"No, Eva. There's no need for this… they win this round."

Meanwhile, inside the palace, Terentius, Splin and I stood in the throne room as Ajunta barged in. The son of a bitch had come back… and I knew why.

"Atredious… good to see you again," Ajunta said with a cocky smile on his face, "Have you considered my offer?"

"Offer?" Terentius said, "What's he talking about, Atredious?"

"This planet belongs to the Luminos now, Ajunta," I answered, "We will never bow down to a human."

Ajunta's eyes began to burn a hole through me, although he didn't seem too surprised at my response. Suddenly the Libertas poured into the room behind Ajunta; they quickly cut off all of the exits.

"Splin!" Ajunta shouted, "Fall in!"

Splin stepped back away from Ajunta.

"What are you trying to do here Ajunta?" Splin asked, "Carashi trusted you."

"You are either with me… or you're with them," Ajunta responded, "Choose."

Splin glanced back at me and Terentius, then back forward at Ajunta. He closed his eyes and slowly lowered his head.

"Very well," Splin said. He then suddenly unsheathed his katana, "Then I am with the Luminos!"

"Hmph," Ajunta chuckled to himself, "So be it, Luminos," As Ajunta readied his sword; the other Libertas did the same. Terentius and I both ignited our lightsabers.

"Careful, Splin," Ajunta said, "This isn't your daddy's royal army. Why don't you do like Carashi and run for cover."

"Since when, Ajunta!?" Splin shouted back.

"Pardon?"

"Since when have you been entertaining these delusions of grandeur?"

"Ha ha, I think you misunderstand," Ajunta said, grinning from ear to ear, "It has always been my intention to someday rule over Coruscant. Of course, your incompetent father stood in my way. That old coot never did trust me, but I still had the loyalty of my men, and thus the Libertas came to be."

"So you were just using us," Splin said, "Manipulating us in your own quest for power."

"I wouldn't go that far, these men know as well as I do that there was a need for a change in the monarchy. My only regret is that your brother had to go all 'high and mighty' on me… he'd have made a much finer soldier then you…"

Splin was suddenly silent, a look of malaise spread over his face.

"You," he finally uttered, "You killed him?"

"I don't foresee you losing too much sleep over it," Ajunta shot back, "You'll be joining him shortly," Ajunta stepped back behind the Libertas and headed for the exit, "Take them."

The Libertas immediately swarmed upon us, I quickly spun around only to have my jaw met abruptly by a Libertas' black metal fist. Then everything went dark.

"I think he's coming around…"

Everything around me was blurry as the light began to flood back into eyes. I then realized that there was a large crowd standing over me, I couldn't recognize any of the faces. Suddenly someone grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet, it was Eva.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Walkin on sunshine," I said, rubbing my jaw, "Where the hell are we?"

"The jungles," Terentius stepped forward, "We should be safe from Ajunta's forces here for now. And you, you're lucky to be alive. After you took that left hook, I had to carry you out on my back; we barely made it out in one piece."

"I guess I should be thankful… you going to introduce me to your friends?" I asked Terentius, motioning toward the large crowd.

"We were with the Libertas, just like you," One of the men said, stepping forward, "My name is Miles Drake. When Ajunta Pall decided to seize power over Coruscant, we were the ones who objected… He took our equipment and left us out here to die."

"Well, I suppose this is what we get for giving power to a human," I said, "Real good Carashi, real good!"

"Calm down," Terentius said, "If we're going to stop Ajunta, we're going to need some organization."

I turned to Terentius with a very cynical look on my face; he might as well have had three heads.

"Are you serious? You want to go charging back into that city with maybe a hundred men who, oh, by the way, don't have any weapons, and expect to have anything less then a massacre?"

"The weapons are a problem that we will deal with," Terentius answered, "but we can give these people a weapon that is more powerful then any sword."

"And what is that," I asked.

"The force."

"Oh no," I said shaking my head, "You've seen what came from Carashi teaching Ajunta Pall to use the force, it's far too dangerous."

"Give us a chance!" Miles suddenly shouted, "We're more then ready for any challenge!"

"Ready are you?" I said. I couldn't help but smile at the upstart, "Well then perhaps you're ready for this?"

I quickly flicked my wrist, sending a rock flying at Miles. It cracked him upside the head and knocked him to the ground.

"Pathetic… these men are not worthy of the force." I slowly turned away and began to walk off.

"They just need time to learn!" Terentius shouted after me.

"I think not," I replied, "Tell Mr. Drake when he wakes up, that if he's still ready for any challenge I have plenty of rocks waiting for him."

Terentius helped Miles back to his feet as I disappeared into the jungle. Splin sat alone, watching the whole incident as Eva came up next to him.

"Mind if I sit here?" She asked.

"Not at all," Splin said, "What's Atredious' deal?"

"He just misses our father."

"Were you close to him?"

"We all took his death hard," Eva explained, "but Atredious most of all."

"I know how he feels… when my brother died, I directed my anger at my father. I was so convinced that it was his fault, that I blinded myself to the real murderer who was right under my nose."

"Anger will always cloud your judgment, even if you have the best of intentions."

"It should've been me," Splin said, "Father was right, I'm not my brother and I never will be. Sometimes I think we'd all be better off if our places had been switched."

"I don't believe that," Eva said.

"But you never knew James."

"Well, I know you."

Splin smiled and averted his gaze away from Eva. She placed her hand on top of his.

"You can't live your whole life in another man's shadow, Splin," Eva said, "You have your good qualities too, and I'm sure you'll see them before the end."

Splin watched as Eva stood up and walked away, a smile still on his face. Eva walked over to Terentius and Constans who were collecting bamboo sticks for the men to train with.

"You guys know we aren't going to take a city with bamboo." Eva said.

"We're going to need to get some real weapons at some point," Constans answered, "And I think I know just the thing."

"What's that?" Eva asked.

"You remember the items the elders had stored on our shuttle?" Terentius answered, "Well among them was a stockpile of unused lightsabers. If we can find where James hid them before Ajunta…"

"I see," Eva said, "And how do you plan to do that?"

"Two of us would have to go ahead and infiltrate the palace," Constans explained, "It's a risky mission, but our success depends upon it. Eva, you wouldn't mind, would you?"

"Of course not," Eva answered, "I'll leave as soon as possible."

"I'm going too!" Splin suddenly shouted, walking up behind Eva.

"Are you sure Splin?" Terentius asked.

"I'm sure. This is something I have to do, for myself."

"Very well then. May the force be with you both."


	11. The Trial of Shadows

"_The force is but a tool; it does not define me."_

_Tenkai_

**Chapter Eleven: The Trial of Shadows**

A dense fog wrapped all around me as I made my way through the maze of dead trees. I gripped the hilt of my lightsaber tightly as I sifted my way through the detritus that covered the ground. The silence was broken when a voice rang out, it seemed to come from everywhere.

"A Kumori strikes in silence and leaves no trace of his presence. You must become nothing more then a shadow and a terrible thought!"

Two Kumori suddenly emerged from the fog and attacked. I quickly rolled forward and used the force to shove them back from whence they came. Then, two throwing stars shot out of the mist. I ignited my lightsaber and destroyed them both with a single spin.

"Well done, Carashi," through the fog, Anjuu revealed himself. He placed his hands together and the fog slowly lifted. "You truly are a guardian of the seal. Perhaps you are ready."

"For what?" I asked.

"For the trial of shadows."

"I am ready to be a shadow."

"I believe you are," Anjuu said, patting me on the back, "Come with me. Your final test awaits."

Anjuu led me deep into the darkest part of the forest. The bare branches twisted in all sorts of unnatural ways as the trees seemed to loom over us. Finally we came to a large cavern in the cliff face. Something about it sent a wave of terror through me; I could almost hear the low sounds of breathing, as if the cave itself were alive.

"This cave, Carashi," Anjuu said, "Is saturated with both the dark and light sides of the force."

"Dark and light?…" If there was indeed light within this cave, then why did it strike such fear in me?

"Yes… the fire allowed you a fleeting glimpse into the soul, now it is time you truly looked into the mirror."

"The mirror… what will I see when I look?"

"Only what you take with you," Anjuu said, "Don't get me wrong Carashi; you may not like what you see."

I looked away from Anjuu and back down the gullet of the cave. My heart thumped in my chest as I slowly entered. Inside, the cave was pitch black. I felt my way around the damp cavern for what seemed like a long time before finally seeing a light in the distance. As I reached the light, on the other side I came out onto a massive battle field. Both sides wielded lightsabers, slaughtering each other before a grand temple. There was a man in black armor with a long black cape standing with his back to me, watching the battle unfold.

"You there!" I shouted, "What's going on here?"

The man did nothing. I walked up behind him and placed my hand on his shoulder when suddenly his head twisted off and rolled down the back of his body, landing at my feet. The face was that of Atredious. I quickly recoiled, the body in black armor still standing with its arms folded across its chest. Slowly I looked back up at the battle and the horrific reality of it set in. The city that I saw burning before me was Coruscant. Suddenly, the body of the man turned to me, a black fog oozed from the neck hole. It spoke to me in the same language as the Kumori, its voice echoing all around my head.

"No in atrum; addo vita ut Moujuu…"

The armor grabbed a black lightsaber on its belt and ignited a dark core blade that was surrounded be red flames. I ignited my lightsaber as well and charged forward. I swung through the armor, but it was as if I had caught nothing but air. The armor plunged its saber into my stomach, causing me to fall to my knees.

The battle scene faded away as everything around me turned dark again. I struggled back to my feet; I didn't seem to be wounded.

"Get a grip, Carashi," I said to myself, "It's all in my mind…"

I sat back down and tried to center myself. I closed my eyes and had drifted off into a meditative state when suddenly a bright light hit my face. I stood back up, shielding my eyes in amazement at the anomaly. The light slowly took the form of a woman, a woman I knew all too well.

"Mother… It can't be, you're dead," I was hardly able to find the words. She was wearing all white and she was younger; how I remembered her as a child.

"Yes Carashi, it's me," she said. She looked so sad, "I'm so sorry Carashi, I made a terrible mistake. After your father died… I was afraid. It doesn't excuse what I did…"

"Stop," I interrupted, "What you did was wrong. And however justified my anger was… I should not have let it consume me."

"Can it ever be like it was, Carashi?" She asked me. I looked up and into her eyes.

"No. I am Kumori now, and to be Kumori is to be alone. In order to leave my past where it belongs, I must learn to forgive those who have hurt me… and pray for the forgiveness of those whom I've hurt."

She smiled at me as the light enveloped her once more.

"You have become so strong… my son," with those words the light faded and I was left once again in the dark. This time, however, the fear was gone. I felt as if there was nothing in the world that could possibly faze me now.

After three days and nights within the cavern, I finally reemerged to find Anjuu and the other Kumori waiting for me on the outside.

"Congratulations my friend," Anjuu said, smiling, "You have passed through the darkness and the light, you have traversed the very edges of your soul and have come out on the other side unscathed. Today, you are a shadow."

One of the Kumori handed Anjuu a set of black robes which he then turned and presented to me.

"From this day forward you are Carashi of Shadows… guardian of the seal."

"Thank you sir," I lowered my head and accepted the robes, "It is a great honor… but I still have many questions."

"Heh heh, still eager to learn I see."

"Knowledge and power must act as one if you are to truly become a great warrior."

"How very true," Anjuu said, "I foresee great things in your future, Carashi of Shadows. For now, you must rest. Tomorrow, you will have your answers.

Late that night, I tossed and turned as I slept in my hut in the Kumori village. I was suddenly jolted from my nightmares by the sound of my door banging against the wall in the wind. It must've been blown open. A chilling breeze swirled through the room. I got up and put on my new black robes and went to the door. As I was about to close it, something on the air caught my attention. In the distance I could hear the faint sound of someone singing, it sounded like a woman's voice. As if hypnotized, I left my door wide open and wandered off into the woods toward the source of the singing. Despite the freezing cold of the Chinine night, the heavenly notes I heard filled me with strange warmth that allowed me to press on.

Finally I came to a stream. The light of the full moon reflecting off the water gave the forest an eerie glow. That's where I saw her, long dark brown hair and dressed in gray ninja robes that fit snugly against her body. As she sang, the fireflies all seemed to dance around her. I ducked down behind a tree to listen, the song was in the Kumori's native language and I didn't understand a word of it. But nevertheless, it was still incredibly soothing.

As I closed my eyes to listen, the singing suddenly stopped. I looked around the tree and saw that the woman was gone. As I swung my head back around, I was met by a katana at my throat.

"Isn't it a little late for you to be spying on young women?"

I looked up and saw her holding the katana to my neck. Her blue eyes seemed to glow in the moon light. She was so beautiful.

"You…" I knew there was a katana at my neck, but that was all the more I could say.

"My name is Raina," she said, "and you're a dead man if you don't tell me what it is you're doing here."

"No, wait!" I said, "Forgive me, I was just walking through the woods when I heard your singing. Such a beautiful song, I had to see where it was coming from."

She looked at me suspiciously before smiling and removing the katana from my neck.

"You're that new guy, aren't you?" Raina asked, "The one who crashed in that spaceship."

"Yes," I said enthusiastically, "I'm Carashi of Shadows."

"Carashi, huh? The others were right, you do carry a lot of pain with you…"

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

Raina motioned toward the scars on my face. I suddenly became very self-conscious and placed my hand over my mouth.

"I had almost forgotten…" I said as I slowly brought my hand back down.

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be," I said, finally standing up, "All this balance and meditation…I almost forgot who I was."

"Well?" Raina asked, "Who are you?"

"Wha?..." the question caught me off guard, "Well…I don't know. I guess…I never really knew."

"Heh, you'll fit right in here." Raina said with a big smile, "If you'll excuse me, I really must be going."

Raina turned and began to leave. I started after her before catching myself.

"Wait!" I shouted, "That song… what does it mean?"

Raina just continued to smile at me and turned back around. As she walked off she continued to sing her song. It echoed hauntingly through the night air as she disappeared from sight.


	12. Return of the Jedi

"_And all who take up the sword in the name of Lucias shall set aside their emotion in the name of peace. A warrior abandons all thoughts of ignorance and opens his mind to knowledge. In the heat of battle his hand is stayed, passion becomes serenity. Amid the chaos of war the champions of Lucias shall find harmony. For the Jedi there is no death, there is only the force."_

_Excerpt from the Book of Lucias_

**Chapter Twelve: Return of the Jedi**

The labyrinth of the elder temple would seem a paradise when compared to the hell which I have endured these past few days. Lingering here in the wild, training these witless men to master the force, and for what? To conquer, to kill? Or maybe to simply satisfy Terentius' longings for a golden age long forgotten.

The return of the Jedi is what he calls these men, these pirates. And I cannot think of a more vicious insult to such honored warriors. The Jedi were the champions of Lucias, the great guardians of Terresta, and the shining sons of all Luminos. That Terentius would invoke their name when referring to these… humans, it's unfathomable.

But so he does, and the more I watch the more I find myself thinking of Father and of home… and of the promise I had made to him. My heart became heavy with the thought of giving these humans such power; my siblings were beginning to forget. To forget the smell of the air as the sun's first light poured over Megiddo, to forget the words of Lucias and his warnings against the wicked hearts of men, to forget our Father… and his dream.

It was a hot and sticky morning, just like all the others, when I awoke to the sounds of bamboo clacking together and of Terentius shouting directions. I picked myself up and made my way into the clearing. The men sat and watched as Terentius demonstrated several sword techniques with Miles Drake, who still bore a mark on his forehead. I couldn't help but chuckle. Then I noticed Constans sitting alone, away from the crowd jotting something down on a sheet of paper. I casually walked up beside him and peered over his shoulder.

"Busy, brother?" I asked.

"I see you've decided to grace us with your presence today Atredious," Constans said, never looking up from his paper, "Are you going to help, or have you come to complain some more?"

"Help? Help what? When the time comes, I will fight, but I will not be a part of this. Do you not see at all what is going on here? Have you already forgotten the teachings of Lucias?"

"Atredious…" Constans sighed, he stopped his writing and stared forward at Terentius and Miles, "I have not forgotten, but the corruption of the elder council has caused me to reconsider some things."

"What are you saying?" As Constans paused I quickly glanced down at what he had written:

_**The Jedi Code**:_

_There is no emotion, there is peace;_

_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge;_

_There is no passion, there is serenity;_

_There is no chaos, there is harmony;_

_There is no death, there is the force._

"I'm saying that it was a lie, Atredious. The Elder Council could've easily manipulated the contents of those texts."

"I don't believe that," I said with emotion welling in my eyes and my voice, "and Father did not believe that."

"He was deceived, we all were," Constans said, finally turning to look at me, "Look, you don't have to help if you don't want to. Just remember, Terentius, Eva, and I, we're on your side."

I turned away from Constans and began scanning the crowd.

"I know… hey, where is Eva anyway?"

"Terentius sent her into the city to recover our weapons from Ajunta's forces."

"What!?" I shouted back, "He sent her in there alone? What could he be thinking?"

Constans avoided my gaze, I immediately knew there was something he wasn't telling me.

"What is it?" I asked staring through him, "Tell me!"

"She's… not alone," Constans finally uttered, "Splin went with her."

With Constans' words I abruptly straightened up. How could Terentius do something so stupid? And Eva… So many thoughts raced through my mind in anger that I was unable to respond. I collected myself and stormed off into the jungle.

"Where are you going!?" Constans shouted after me.

"To find my sister," I replied.

By the rubble of the west tower a legion of Libertas quietly march past. After they have disappeared from sight, out of the brush Splin and Eva immerge and make for the city. Splin climbs to the top of the rubble and helps Eva over as the two make their way into the streets of Coruscant, streets that Ajunta Pall has constantly patrolled by the Libertas.

"Alright," Splin said, crouching behind a building and leaning around the corner to check for more guards, "It looks as if they have the army spread out across the city. That'll make things easier inside the palace, but getting there is going to be the real trick."

"The sun will set in a few hours," Eva said, "Don't you think we should wait for the cover of darkness before we make for the palace?"

Splin stood up and looked at Eva with a smile on his face.

"You're probably right," Splin turned to the building he was leaning against and began to examine the outer wall. He then noticed one of the shattered windows. Splin quickly walked over and peered inside. "Perfect!" He said turning back to Eva.

"What is it?"

"Looks like an abandoned warehouse of some sort, we should be able to hide here until dusk."

Splin looked both ways down the street before unsheathing his katana and bashing in the glass of the window with the sword's hilt. He examined the frame to make sure there was no loose glass.

"After you my dear," Splin said, lowering his head and gesturing toward the window.

"Thank you, sir," Eva answered with a smirk on her face. She climbed into the window and Splin followed after her.

Inside, the warehouse was massive; the floor was littered with large objects covered by white sheets. It was dark and dusty; only a few beams of light soaked through the thick glass windows and cast a dull glow about the room.

"What is all this stuff?" Eva asked, patting one of the white sheets creating a large cloud of dust.

"No… it couldn't be…" Splin approached one of the objects and lifted the sheet. His eyes suddenly lit up.

"What is it!?" Eva asked impatiently.

"A ship, one of the fighters from the royal fleet, my father must've stored these away here years ago... the Libertas probably have no idea they're here."

"Maybe we could use them," Eva suggested, "I've always wanted to fly…"

"Heh, heh," Splin began to laugh to himself.

"What's so funny?"

"You want to fly? Well I could teach you someday, I'm not a bad pilot myself."

"I'd like that," Eva smiled at Splin as he coyly looked away.

"Eva… there's something I've been meaning to ask you…" Splin said, fumbling with his words.

"Yes?" Eva looked inquisitively at Splin as he struggled to avoid her gaze.

"Umm, well uhh… I was wondering if…" Splin's eyes locked with Eva's and suddenly his will weakened, "if you would help me with my force training?"

Eva leaned back with a half disappointed look on her face that Splin was too frazzled to even notice.

"Of course I can," Eva said softly, "What is it you want to know?"

Back in the jungle, the sun begins to set on yet another day as Terentius wraps up the days training by addressing the men.

"Rest now gentlemen, your training has been arduous, and tomorrow you may be called upon to fight," Terentius paused for a moment, scanning the faces in the crowd before him, "Back on my home planet, Terresta, we called the defenders of peace and justice Jedi Knights. The elders used to tell us, 'No one can kill a Jedi,' well men, I'm sorry to say, that is not true. A Jedi can be killed… but what you stand for, peace and justice… nothing can kill that. Understand, we do not go into that city as conquerors, we go as liberators."

The men were quiet, not one dared to utter a word. Terentius smiled and lowered his head.

"Sleep. The time is coming." Terentius walked off and the crowd dispersed. As Terentius began to collect up some of the loose bamboo sticks, he was approached by Constans.

"Quite the speech," Constans said, "But do you think they are ready? With such little training they may be more of a danger to themselves then to the enemy."

"They'll be alright," Terentius said, leaning the bamboo sticks up against a tree, "They already have a connection to the force from their training with Carashi, all they need now is to hone their skills."

"Terentius, for even the best of Jedi it would take years for them to properly hone their skills, and even then victory was not assured."

"You're starting to sound like Atredious, you worry too much brother."

Constans' face went blank. He reached into his cloak and pulled out the paper he had been working on earlier.

"What's this?" Terentius asked.

"They can kill the men, but not the idea," Constans handed the paper to Terentius and walked off. Terentius read the page, a subdued sort of smile about him.

As darkness fell over Coruscant, the sound of the Libertas marching became more and more prevalent. The light of the moon seeped in through the shattered glass casting long haunting shadows across the warehouse floor. Silently Eva craned her head about out the window, looking for passing guards as Splin stood patiently behind her.

"The moon is so bright," Eva said staring mystified into the sky, "Even with all the haze that covers this city… its light still shines through…"

"It hasn't always been that way," Splin said. Eva took her attention off the moon and turned to Splin.

"What do you mean?"

"There was a time when we were unable to see the light," Splin looked off over Eva's shoulder and out the window, "When the thick smog that I had built up over my head blinded me from the beauty of the rest of the universe…"

"And what changed that?"

Splin looked back down at Eva.

"Do you not know?" Splin felt his will weakening again as he stared into her deep green eyes, but this time he did not hesitate, "Since the day I first saw you I have been unable to get you off of my mind. Where before there were only thoughts of grief and sorrow, for my brother, and my father… now there is light, there's hope. And whenever I look at the full moon, I can feel it."

Through every word, Splin's eyes had not left Eva's. As he finally turned to look away, Eva lurched forward into his arms. Both of them stared at one another, slowly they leaned in closer, their lips almost touching when suddenly they were thrust apart by the sound of shattering glass. All around them the windows were being punched in by Libertas guards.

"How could they have found us so quickly!?" Splin shouted.

"I don't know, but we'd better find an exit, fast!"

Suddenly the sound of glass ceased and an eerie calm spread over the two captives. Then the silence was broken by torches being hurled through the open windows.

"They're trying to smoke us out," Splin said, "Looks like they want a fight."

Eva extended her hand and summoned her lightsaber from her belt, igniting its green blade.

"They want one; they've got one."


	13. The Shadow of the Mountain

"_Long ago, when the gods gave birth to the planets and the stars, the first life was created, and thus the force came to be. These angelic beings, or the Intangibles as they have come to be known, had been blessed by the gods with an immortal soul and with immense power. The gods had given them everything, but still it was not enough. The Intangibles' lust and greed drove them into darkness, to betray the very masters who had created them. Lost and starved of power, the Intangibles were banished by the gods, doomed to live with their hunger for all time."_

_Kumori Legend_

**Chapter Thirteen: The Shadow of the Mountain **

The next morning I awoke feeling lighter then air. It was as if all the weight, all my cares and troubles had been lifted away and I was only left with sound of her beautiful voice serenading me inside my head.

I strolled out of my hut and into the forest, admiring every branch of every tree along the way. Finally I came to the clearing where I agreed to meet Anjuu, he sat meditating on a tree stump as the sounds of my footsteps drew his attention.

"Ah… Carashi, you seem to be in high spirits. Are you ready, my friend?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I said, inhaling a deep breath of the morning air, "It's a beautiful day for training!"

"Excellent. Well since you already are experienced in the force, I've decided to place you in my advanced class. The other students will be along shortly."

No sooner did the old man say it then did another Kumori emerge from the trees. This guy was built, tall and muscular with short gray hair; he wore a black sleeveless shirt with black pants. I watched him as he made his way toward Anjuu.

"Good morning, Senshi," Anjuu said to the man, "I hope your trip was productive,"

"Good morning, master," Senshi replied, "It was, and I'm more then ready for action,"

"Oh, Carashi! Pardon me, where are my manners?" Anjuu turned to me and beckoned me to come closer. I did so hesitantly, "Carashi of Shadows, meet Senshi of Shadows, my top student. He has spent the last three months training alone in the mountains."

"A pleasure to meet you, Carashi," Senshi said with a smug smirk on his face, "I've heard a lot about you,"

"Funny," I replied, "I haven't heard much about you," I extended my hand to shake his, but he simple turned away.

"Well that doesn't really surprise me," Senshi said, running his hand through his hair, "All that flashy stuff isn't really my thing, doesn't seem very Kumori-like to me. Although, I'm sure it works for someone like you."

I began to get the feeling that I wasn't going to like this guy. The good mood I was in to start the day was almost completely wasted until I heard a familiar voice coming from the woods.

"Daddy, I'm here! Sorry, I'm late!"

Raina emerged from the trees and ran up besides Anjuu. Suddenly I had forgotten all about that jerk Senshi and found myself entranced once again.

"No worries my dear," Anjuu said, "I just wish you'd tell me where it is you go all night,"

"I told you Daddy, training."

"Yes, yes… oh, Carashi. I'd like you to meet my daughter,"

"Raina…" The word came from my lips almost subconsciously and Anjuu stared at me, puzzled.

"Oh… you've met?"

I suddenly snapped back to my senses.

"Umm well, yes. Briefly."

"It's good to see you again, Carashi," Raina said smiling at me. As quickly as I had come back to my senses I found myself stupefied once more.

"Yes well!" Anjuu interrupted, "Let's get down to business, shall we? You're fist test today shall be a test of endurance. Your task; a race to the top of the mountain… using no shadow teleportation."

"What!?" I shook myself out of my stupor after hearing what Anjuu had said, "You want me to race up a mountain against this guy!?"

"What's wrong Carashi?" Raina asked playfully, "Don't think you can make it?"

"Umm, well that's not what I meant!" I shouted back, desperately trying to think of someway to regain my dignity, "Uhh, all I meant was that perhaps we should give Senshi a head start, because I've been climbing mountains since I could crawl!" I winced at the sound of my own words, watching the others' blank expressions.

"Is that a fact?" Senshi asked.

"Umm… maybe?"

"Very well then," Anjuu said, "Senshi and Raina shall begin now, and Carashi in an hour."

"What!? Wait, no!" My whole plan was exploding in my face. Send Raina out alone into the wilderness with this walking bicep?

"Is something the matter?" Anjuu asked. I watched helplessly as Senshi put his arm around Raina and the two walked off into the woods toward the mountain together.

"Nothing…" I sighed. I gathered myself up and sat down on the tree stump. It was going to be a long hour.

Later that day I found myself hiking alone through the woods, muttering angrily. The thought of Raina and Senshi, together, laughing at me made my blood boil.

I had just reached the foot of the mountain when in the distance I heard someone cry out for help. I followed the cries until I came to a river where a young man clung to a tree branch amid the raging current sweeping by him.

"Please, somebody help me!" the boy cried out.

"Hang in there kid! I'm coming!" I frantically scanned the shoreline for something I could use. There was a tree, half uprooted, leaning out over the river. I extended my hand and used the force to push it into the water, its roots still clinging to the shore. I jumped up onto the trunk and navigated my way out to where the boy was stranded.

"Give me your hand," I said to the boy, extending mine, "Come on, this tree is perfectly safe."

The boy gave me his hand and I pulled him out of the river and onto the trunk of the tree. Just then, it began to uproot. Without hesitation I grabbed the boy and performed a force jump back toward the land just as the tree detached and was washed down stream.

The boy stood up and began ringing out his black robes. He was of medium height, if not a little short with spiky black hair and dark eyes.

"Whew," I said struggling to catch my breath, "That was a close one, wasn't it? How'd you get out there anyway?"

"I was hiding up in tree when the branch broke and I fell in," the boy explained, "Thanks for saving me, Mr. …"

"It's Carashi."

"Carashi… hey, aren't you that freaky guy from outer space!?"

"Yep," I sighed, "That's me…"

"Cool!" the boy said, staring at me in fascination, "Is it true you can shoot lasers out of your hands?"

"No… it's called a lightsaber. Look kid, I'm sort of in the middle of a race right now, so if you're alright, I really should get moving."

"A race, huh? Can I come with?"

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Seventeen… why?"

"I think you should go home to your parents… umm… what did you say your name was?"

"Oh, I'm Jack. Jack Razor."

"Jack Razor… well Jack, you're going to have to be in top shape to keep up with me because I'm climbing all the way to the top of that mountain."

"So? I climb that mountain every week," Jack said, "Only an idiot could get lost climbing that thing, ha ha ha ha!"

"Yeah," I muttered, "And I guess it takes a genius to fall in a river…"

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Come on kid, we're way behind."

"Oh really," Jack said with his arms folded across his chest, "Well I just happen to know a short cut…"

I stopped in my place and slowly turned back to Jack.

"What did you say?"

"A short cut to the top of the mountain, come on, follow me!"

Jack smiled and ran off into the woods. With a deep breath, I gathered up my supplies and followed after him.

The sun was growing lower and lower in the sky as I continued to follow Jack through the woods and up the mountain side. Finally we came to a fork in the trail. Jack suddenly paused in front of me.

"Well," I said impatiently, "Which way is it?"

"Left…" Jack said reluctantly, "No, wait! Right!... I think…"

I was not amused. I stared at Jack as if I could kill him, and I'm not so sure I wouldn't have.

"What do you mean, 'you think'? I thought you climbed this mountain every week!"

"Hey, easy there chief; okay, so I may have embellished a tad, it's all good though, I'm 70 percent sure it's right."

"Great!" I shouted, throwing my arms up into the air, "I've been following you for five hours now and you don't even know where we are! Now I'll never beat that meat head to the top of the mountain."

"Hey, what are you getting so upset about?" Jack asked, "You're a shadow right?"

"Yeah…"

"Well why don't you just use your shadow arts and teleport yourself to the top?"

"Because…" I answered, "That would be cheating…"

"So?"

The kid may have been annoying, but he had a good point.

"You know what? You're right! I'm not gonna sit back and let Senshi hog all of the glory! I'm gonna win it for her!"

"Her?" Jack asked, "Her who?"

"Err umm… no one. Come on, let's go."

I grabbed Jack's arm and pulled him into the shadows with me. Then slowly we both disappeared.

On the mountain's summit, Anjuu sat quietly atop a rock as Jack and I emerged from the woods. He didn't seem too terribly surprised to see me so early, or that I had picked up some company.

"Well!" I boasted, "I don't see Senshi anywhere! I guess I beat him handily."

"Senshi? Oh no, he and Raina arrived over an hour ago," Anjuu said, "They got tired of waiting for you so they went off into the woods together. They should be returning any minute now."

My jaw dropped, I couldn't believe it. Just as I thought the pounding in my head couldn't possibly get any worse, Jack spoke again.

"Senshi and…. Raina, eh?" Jack said, smiling at me and nudging me with his elbow, "Friends of yours?"

"And who might this be?" Anjuu asked.

"This is Jack Razor."

"I fell into the river," Jack interrupted, "I would've drown if Carashi hadn't stopped to save me."

"Indeed? Impressive Carashi," Anjuu said, "Jack Razor you say? Odd, I do not recall anyone by that name in the village…"

"I like to keep a low profile," Jack replied, never losing the smirk on his face.

"Hey, look who finally showed up!" From down below I saw Senshi and Raina approaching.

"Carashi!" Raina shouted, "You made it!"

"Heh, yeah well… I just got a little held up," I answered, rubbing the back of my head.

"Nothing a tough guy like you couldn't handle I assume," Senshi shot back.

"Cut it out, Senshi," Raina said.

"Well, now that we're all here," Anjuu started, "We can begin the final test for today."

"Final… test?" I asked.

"The duel," Anjuu answered, "Carashi vs. Senshi."

"As you wish master," Senshi said lowering his head. Jack walked up beside me and whispered into my ear.

"You think you can take this guy? He's huge."

"Don't worry about me," I answered, "Just watch."

I stepped forward and smiled at Senshi who quickly unsheathed his katana. I nodded my head and Senshi suddenly rushed forward, swinging and slicing his blade at me as fast as he could. I bobbed and weaved, dodging his every advance, he then came across with a horizontal blow that I ducked under. Then, all in one motion, I spun around and unsheathed my own katana, slashing it by Senshi. He paused for a moment, checking himself for injuries only to have his shirt come apart.

"Whoa," Jack leaned over to Raina, "Carashi's good…"

"Yeah…" She answered, still focused on the battle.

"Enough!" Senshi shouted in anger, "No more games, fight me!"

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"This is a duel isn't it? Give me your best shot!"

"Very well…" I lowered my head and beckoned Senshi to attack. As he came at me, I dodged to the side as fast as I could, then spun around and force pushed him into a tree. He hit with such velocity that he bounced right back off, I grabbed him by the hair and placed my katana to his neck.

"Game." I said. I could hear Anjuu clapping behind me.

"Very good," He said, "Perhaps someday when I'm gone, you will be the chieftain of the Kumori."

"Where did you learn to do that?" Jack asked.

"Terresta…"

"Terresta?" Jack said curiously.

"It's a long story," I answered.

"Yes well, that is all for today," Anjuu said, "I will help Senshi back to the village, I expect to see the rest of you back here first thing tomorrow morning."

"Even me!?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Anjuu sighed, "If you must."

It was getting dark, and the cold was starting to set in. We all headed off in our separate directions. As I made my way down the mountain I gazed up into the sky as the first stars of the night began to appear.

"Beautiful, aren't they," I heard her voice behind me. I immediately stopped and spun around to find Raina standing there.

"Excuse me," I said.

"The stars…" Raina said, staring up at the sky, "Although I'm sure they don't seem like anything special to you, having traveled so far."

"No, I agree…"

"You don't mind if I walk with you, do you?"

"Of course not!" I shouted back, quickly adjusting the volume of my voice, "By all means…"

We began to walk down the mountain together, so many thoughts rushed through my head but I still couldn't think of anything to say. Finally she broke the silence.

"That was an… interesting match you had, how did you do that?"

"I've had a lot of time to practice," I answered. The painful memories of training alone and fighting off the elder guards suddenly flooded back over me.

"What happened to you?" Raina asked. She reached out to touch my scarred face, but I quickly pulled away.

"I'd rather not talk about it…" I said. I wanted to tell her, but I just didn't know how. It was in the past, and some things are better left that way.

"You know, you're not the only one who's been through hard times," She said. I perked up and turned to her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked.

"Not quite yet," She said with a smile, "Well I guess this is where we part ways…"

"But, the village is that way."

"I'm not going back to the village," Raina quickly leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek that stopped me in my tracks. "Goodnight, Carashi of Shadows," As Raina walked off into the woods, she began to sing again. I continued to watch her with my hand pressed up against my cheek until she disappeared from sight.

Elsewhere on Chinine, a dark sanctum sat in the midst of a foggy marsh. Tall deformed trees grow all around it with long sheets of moss hanging from their branches. A shadowy figure lurked through the night and entered the sanctum. On the inside he came to a room lined with candles that provided very little light. The figure in black robes walked through the room and knelt before an altar. From the shadows behind the altar, another man emerged, as if from nowhere. He was dressed in all black armor and wore a skull shaped mask over his face.

"I have returned, my Lord Shokun," The shadowy figure slowly pulled back his hood. It was Jack Razor.

"Excellent, and what news have you of the off worlder?" Shokun asked.

"The blood of Akari does indeed flow through his veins."

"How can you be certain?"

"I have seen him fight," Jack answered, "Such powerful and elegant use of the force, only the seal can do that."

"Why did you not simply kill him?" Shokun asked.

"I do not think that would be very prudent, my lord. His strength is too great; I could not have taken such a risk."

"What do you suggest then?"

"We will have to find an alternative method," Jack said, "There are more ways to destroy a man then simply attacking him outright…"

"Good, see that it's done," Shokun answered, "This 'Carashi' could be the one we've been looking for; the last remnant of Lucias. At long last justice shall be done upon the enemies of Anemos!"

"The Kumori are weak and unprepared," Jack said, "They are ready to fall…"


	14. Fallen Angel

"_Woe unto he who holds the memory of the dead in higher reverence then the fate of the living; for it is he who shall see the legacy of his fathers fade, and the light fail."_

_Excerpt from the Book of Lucias_

**Chapter Fourteen: Fallen Angel**

In the dark recesses of the jungle, I navigated my way through the night and toward Coruscant. My every thought dwelling on my sister, alone with that human; every passing second filled me with rage.

"Filthy Human," I thought to myself, "I swear if he so much as touches her…" if he touches her then what? Kill them? Kill them both? No, I couldn't. Could I? My mind drifted in and out of the possible scenarios, fantastic and horrific as they may have been, but at the time, perfectly rational.

Finally I came to the clearing just before the city's walls; smoke was rising from within. My gut told me that where there's smoke, there's Eva. I immediately unclipped my lightsaber from my belt and rushed into the city.

The warehouse in downtown Coruscant stood enveloped in flames. Outside it is surrounded on all sides by the Libertas. Suddenly a massive explosion tore a hole in the front of the building, knocking the soldiers back. From within the inferno, a man wielding a katana rose to his feet and rushed out toward the disheveled Libertas. Splin leapt up into the air and attacked, thrusting his sword downward into the nearest soldier. The other Libertas quickly swarmed upon him only to be knocked aside by a wave of the force from Eva who also emerged from the burning building. She and Splin stood back to back as the Libertas reorganized themselves.

"Well… looks like this is it," Splin said, "At least we can die with honor."

"Don't say that," Eva answered, "Can you still not see it?" Splin looked up into the sky, straining to see past the thick plumes of smoke rising from the warehouse. A small break in the ash allowed the slightest ray of moonlight to escape and catch Splin's eye. He smiled.

"Come on!" Splin shouted, "We can still make it to the palace… together,"

Splin raised his katana over his head and with a loud war cry, rushed forward into the mass of armor and steel before him; Eva not hesitating to follow after him. The two sliced and cut their way down the main street of Coruscant that led directly to the palace steps. As they advanced forward the Libertas just kept on coming, one after another until it became almost useless to fight. Splin and Eva made a desperate dash for the palace gates.

Eva extended her hand and used the force to break open the gates. As she and Splin passed beyond them, Eva spun back around quickly used the force to reseal them, knocking over one of the courtyard statues to brace the gates.

"That should hold them for now, but they'll find another way," Eva said, "Quickly, we must hurry!"

Splin nodded and the two of them rushed up the palace steps and disappeared inside.

It was still dark in the camp when Terentius sounded the wake up call. The men stumbled out of their shelters and into the clearing where Terentius and Constans were already waiting.

"Gentlemen!" Terentius shouted through the thick morning air, "The time has come, we can delay no longer. Coruscant needs us now!"

"What about our weapons?" Miles asked. The others began to murmur in agreement.

"Your weapons are in the process of being procured," Constans answered, "But we cannot wait; smoke has been rising from the city for hours now… I fear the worst has happened."

"You are Jedi Knights," Terentius said, "The force shall be your means of defense. Now form up, we march to Coruscant!"

The Jedi all formed ranks behind Terentius and Constans and they began their march into the jungle.

In the shadows of the palace, Splin and Eva snuck past the guards who seemed to be oblivious to the goings on outside. Splin led Eva down a long set of winding stone stairs and into the palace vault.

"This is it," Splin said pushing open the wooden door, "This is where father kept all of his most prized possessions. My guess is your lightsabers are in here."

Inside the vault was all manner of junk piled high and deep. The walls were lined with shelves where books and trinkets had been incoherently placed. The entire room was coated in a layer of dust as if it hadn't been touched in ages.

"Look at all this junk," Eva said, "This could take years!"

"Years we don't have, my dear," Splin answered, "What did the container that you kept the weapons in look like?"

"It was a chest… from the elder temple. It would have had the elder seal emblazon on it in gold."

"The elder seal?" Splin asked.

"The sun rising over a battlefield strewn over with the corpses of the dead; it is supposed to symbolize Lucias' rise from the darkness, freeing the Luminos from death."

Splin looked all around him and began tossing random things off of one of the junk piles. Eva slowly closed her eyes.

"What are you doing?" Splin asked, "Give me hand here,"

"The lightsabers contain crystals with special properties… perhaps I could feel them through the force…"

All around her the room was cold and dead, there was little for Eva to feel. But suddenly something caught her attention and Eva opened her eyes. Splin watched as she made her way to the back of the room to a chest covered by red cloth. Eva whipped the cloth aside to reveal the glimmering golden emblem.

"Look at that…" Splin said gazing into the brilliantly crafted seal. Eva slowly pushed open the lid of the chest.

"Some of them are missing…."

"Looking for something?"

Splin and Eva spun around at the sound of the voice behind them to see Ajunta Pall standing at the vault's entrance. Eva ignited her lightsaber.

"Wait!" Splin shouted, "Let me handle this."

"But Splin, he's too strong. There's little chance you could beat him alone…"

Splin turned to Eva with a smile on his face.

"Don't worry Eva, I don't need to hope anymore." Eva turned off her lightsaber and nodded, "Toss me one of those,"

Eva reached into the chest and tossed up a saber that Splin grabbed out of the air, a blue blade shot out from the hilt.

"I've waited a long time for this, Splin," Ajunta said as he reached into his robe, producing a lightsaber of his own. Upon igniting it the room around him turned blood red. "At last the house of the great James Cell will fall."

"Eva!" Splin shouted, "Take the weapons and go! I'll hold him off." Splin quickly extended his hand and with power he didn't even realize he had, knocked one of the junk piles toward Ajunta. He raised his hand and stopped all of the objects in mid air.

"Is that all you've got?" Ajunta swung his arm back across his body and the objects came flying back at Splin. He managed to dodge most of them only to have a large crate coming right at his head. Suddenly Eva leapt in front of Splin and ignited her lightsaber, slicing the crate in two.

"Thanks," Splin said, "Now go!" Splin quickly turned around to find Ajunta standing over him. He desperately fought off Ajunta's advances as he swung his lightsaber at him. In the midst of the chaos, Eva picked up the chest and headed up the stairs. When she finally reached the top she was surprised to find the palace completely empty. Pressing onward, Eva continued to carry the weapons to the entrance. However, outside she no longer could hear the sounds of the guards banging at the gate… only silence.

As Eva emerged onto the palace steps, she froze. Dropping the chest, her eyes scanned over the scene before her in horror. Bodies were strewn all about the courtyard, most of which were in several pieces. Libertas were skewered on the fence posts and the gates lay twisted and broken on the ground. The light of the setting sun caused the entire courtyard to glow red.

Finally she saw me, crouching atop one of the statues in the courtyard that remained standing. I leapt down and onto the steps before, unable to hide the blood that stained my robes.

"Atredious?..." Eva whispered in a voice that seemed almost afraid.

"Where is he," I responded as I examined her. I could smell his stink all over her.

"Where is who?" She answered, still a bit overwhelmed by the graphic scene before her.

"Don't give me that," I snapped back, "You know damn well who! Where is Splin?" I thought that seeing my sister would calm me down, but it only made things worse. That she would try to hide this from me; she knew what she was doing, she knew what it would mean, but she was doing it anyway. At that moment I hoped with all of my heart that Splin was still alive, so that I may have the pleasure of finishing him myself.

"Splin is still inside," Eva finally answered, "But why are you here?"

"I've come for you, now let's go!"

"No, wait!" She shouted, "You can take the weapons, but I have to go back and help Splin!"

"Forget him, Eva. He's only a human, it's not worth risking your life over. Now let's go!"

"I can't leave him!"

"Why the hell not!?"

"Because I love him!"

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks, the wind was suddenly knocked out of me.

"Y-you… love him?" I gasped.

Eva quickly turned away from me, tears in her eyes. My face twisted under the pressure as I struggled to contain my rage.

"How?" I asked, "How could you? How could you dishonor our father like this? A human? Do you care nothing for his dream?"

"What dream!?" Eva suddenly shouted back, "That's all it ever was Atredious… a dream. We have a chance to make things right now… to do what our father couldn't. He would not have wanted us to follow down the same path he took."

"No!" I yelled, "You don't understand him, none of you did! You all thought he was a fool, you didn't even believe him when he tried to save you from your own deaths! I made a promise… and that's all I have left. I will fulfill my oath, no matter what it takes."

"What are you talking about Atredious? Father and all the other Luminos… they're dead. How many more have to die to see this impossible dream come true?"

"As many as it takes…"

With my words suddenly Splin came limping out onto the steps. His leg was cut up badly and his left arm was pressed up against his chest. Eva quickly ran over to him, helping him stand up straight.

"Splin!" Eva shouted, "Are you alright, what happened?"

"Ajunta, he… what the hell happened out here?"

"Judgment," I answered. As Splin looked over at me the fear in his eyes filled me with a sense of power unlike anything I had ever felt before. I saw that he was clutching a lightsaber in his hand, "So… you think you're a Jedi Knight?"

"Atredious, don't," Eva pleaded, but still I ignored her. I ignited my lightsaber and began to walk toward him.

"You think that just because you can perform a few cheap tricks, play with a lightsaber and violate my sister, that that makes you a Jedi?"

"What are you talking about, Atredious?" Splin asked, "I thought you'd understand…"

"Oh no, I do. It is you who fails to understand… the universe belongs to the Luminos, and all who do not believe as such shall meet the wrath of the almighty Lucias himself!"

"It doesn't have to be like this, Atredious," Splin said, "Why are you doing this?"

"Because that was the last wish of a dying man."

With that I raised my saber to the air. Eva lurched forward to grab my arm, but I quickly grabbed her and threw her aside. Then, I plunged my saber deep into his chest. I watched as he fell to the ground and struggled for breath. I watched as my sister ran over to him and wept over him, then kissed him. I watched all of this, but still I felt nothing. The pain was still there, the anger had only grown worse.

"Splin!" Eva shouted as she cradled him in her arms, "Splin, don't go! Please, don't go!"

"Eva…" Splin choked out, his eyes fixated upward on the moon in the young night sky, "It's ok…"

"Splin… you can't go… I love you,"

"I… love you too… thank you,"

Eva kissed Splin one last time and laid his head down on the ground. As she continued to weep uncontrollably I walked up behind her.

"Atredious!"

The voice stopped me. I turned to see Terentius standing at the palace gates with Constans and the so called Jedi. Eva stood up and ran down the steps into Terentius' arms. As he tried to console her, Constans scanned the area around him, finally stopping on me standing over the body of Splin.

"What did you do Atredious?" He asked me.

"He did what had to be done!"

From behind me Ajunta Pall emerged from the darkness. He walked up to Splin and kicked the lightsaber away from his hand, and then slowly he turned to me.

"I told you," he said, "Didn't I? They cannot be trusted. Only you have the power to rule over Coruscant."

I stared at him for a moment, not saying anything. Then I turned my attention back to Constans.

"It ends now, brother," I shouted, "Either you will join with me and rule over these people… or you will choose to bind your fate to theirs… and be destroyed."

Ajunta smiled grimly behind me as Constans stared back with a stoic disposition.

"That is how you feel?" he asked. I answered by raising my lightsaber and Ajunta then ignited his as well, "Then I'm sorry, brother… Father forgive us."


	15. The Legend of Tenkai

"_Do you feel that? That is the darkness that I have purged from the very foundations of this galaxy. With such terrible power infecting all things, how can you possibly believe in peace?"_

_Tenkai_

**Chapter Fifteen: The Legend of Tenkai**

It seems so real… the wind, the trees, the birds. The smell of the air during a late summers afternoon on Terresta, I was only five years old but I can still feel the touch of the grass and the warmth of the sun. As I run through the meadow I can see my Father in the distance returning home from a hard days work. I run to greet him and he drops his bags to embrace me. He looks at me and says something; I can see him even now but I cannot recall the sound of his voice…

Suddenly I am cold. Bloodied and running through the night, the ice and snow numbs my feet and soon I can no longer go on. And then they take me, chain me to the wall of that labyrinth, and as they burn my flesh I can finally hear him again, my father screams in pain as they torture him in the exact spot which they'd brought me.

"I'll be right back, Carashi. Everything's going to be fine."

"Wait! How does the story end Daddy?"

"… Goodbye Carashi…"

_WHAM!_ The sound of my door slamming into the wall jolted me from my sleep. My hands were shaking and the room was freezing cold from the door being wide open. This same scenario had been occurring for the past several nights, my sleep plagued by these nightmares. But what could they be trying to tell me?

I climbed out of bed and put on my robes then went to the door. I checked the hinges and the knob, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Just then I heard her again, her voice carrying softly on the wind, each note illuminating the otherwise opaque night sky. I contemplated returning to my slumber, but I was weak. I ventured back out into the cold wilderness in search of Raina, her song led me back to the moonlit stream bed where I had first laid eyes on her, and she was even more radiant then before. As I slowly approached she stopped her singing and shot me a smile.

"Carashi… I was waiting."

"How'd you know I'd come?" I asked.

"I didn't…"

I leisurely sat down beside her at the edge of the stream and she began to sing again. Her words seemed to cause all of the light to dance around us.

"What is it that you're singing?" I finally asked.

"It is an ancient poem," Raina explained, "One passed down by the leaders of the Kumori. It tells the story of a man named Tenkai…"

"Tenkai? Who is that?"

Raina was silent, gazing into the glistening water.

"When Akari sealed the beast away… a long time ago… he made a promise to our people. That someday he would return and finally destroy the darkness once and for all. Many tales have been told, prophesizing his return. They say he will be a man in perfect balance with the force, not yin nor yang but one. Whole. The stories called this man Tenkai."

"And this song you sing," I asked, "Is it one of these legends?"

"One of them…" she answered, "This particular poem is said to awaken the spirit of Akari, to watch over you … to protect you."

"And what, may I ask is it that you need protection from?"

Raina paused for a moment. She stared down at her reflection in the water, then slowly up towards the sky.

"Tell me Carashi," she said, "What do you feel when you look at the full moon?"

I looked up into the sky, suddenly memories of running through the woods flashed into my head, my hands red with blood, being tortured by the elder's lightning, and my father's screams. I immediately shut my eyes and looked away.

"I feel… cold, lost… afraid."

"Why do you fear to look into the light?"

"I don't know."

Raina slowly sat down beside me.

"You know, about a month before you arrived, my father became very sick," Raina said, "It happens off and on now, but this time was particularly bad. I came out here every night, praying to Akari as his condition grew worse and worse… but then, you came, and my father recovered."

"What are you saying?" I asked, "You think I healed your father?"

"I don't know. I like to think that it's not all just coincidence, that somehow it is connected. And the fact that they call you the son of Akari…"

Raina reached out to touch the scars on my face, this time I did not pull away.

"Akari abandoned me a long time ago, Raina," I said, "I'm nobody's savior. I don't know what I am."

"You don't have to be. Just be Carashi."

As I hung my head down, Raina grabbed my chin and turned my face to hers. I looked into her pale blue eyes and suddenly I wasn't so alone, there was no more fear, no more Kumori, no more Luminos… just us. I leaned in closer and pressed my lips against hers and she kissed me back. At that moment I realized, maybe I don't need to fulfill some ill fated destiny, maybe what I've spent my whole life searching for is right here in front of me.

The next morning, Anjuu, Senshi and Jack waited on the mountain summit as Raina and I finally made our appearance. Anjuu and Senshi stood to greet us but Jack continued to lie on his side, chewing a piece of grass.

"Late again I see," Anjuu said to Raina, "And now Carashi too. Where were you two?"

Raina and I exchanged glances and goofy grins.

"Training," I answered.

"Training, huh?" Jack said, flicking the piece of grass away "Is that what they're callin it nowadays?"

"Good morning to you too, Jack," I answered.

"Well," Anjuu interrupted, "After yesterday's tense training I'd figured we'd take it easy today. Now the four of you need to pair off, it's best not to head down the mountain alone."

"Ooo!" Jack suddenly called out, "I'm with Carashi!"

"Very well, Jack." Anjuu answered.

I quickly grabbed Jack by the collar and pulled him aside.

"What are you doing? Why don't you go with Senshi?"

"Senshi!? That guy's a walking head case. Why, do you want to be with Raina?"

"Maybe I do," I said, "Now go make up some excuse!"

"What are you gonna do? A little more 'training'?"

"That's none of your business, now say something damn it!"

"Alright, alright," Jack said, pulling away from me, "No need to get all hostile, lover boy."

As Jack and I turned back around we noticed that Senshi and Raina were already gone.

"Well, looks like they're gone," Jack said with a smile on his face, "Oh well! Seems like it's just you and me again pal."

"Crap… come on, maybe we can still find them."

Meanwhile, Senshi and Raina walked alone through the woods, neither of them saying a word. Finally Senshi broke the silence.

"So, you and the new guy, huh?"

"What?"

"Heh, it's funny… I don't remember you ever spending the night training with me."

"Give it a rest Senshi," Raina said walking past him, "You and I are over, accept it."

Senshi reached out and grabbed Raina's arm, violently spinning her back around.

"Let me go!"

"Raina, Raina…" Senshi said, looking her up and down, "What am I to do with you? I tried to be nice. Ha, Akari knows I tried… but that just wasn't good enough."

"You're hurting my arm, let go!"

Senshi's face twisted in anger and he pulled her in closer as she continued to struggle against him.

"You know, you're a very beautiful woman Raina. It saddens me to see you lower yourself like this. I'm afraid it's something I cannot allow…"

Not too far away, Jack and I were stumbling down the mountain in an attempt to catch up with the others.

"Carashi, I have a question," Jack said following behind me.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Yesterday you mentioned that you learned to fight on a planet called 'Terresta'. I was just wondering, what kind of place is Terresta?"

"Was," I replied.

"Pardon?"

"Was Terresta, the planet is gone now. It was swallowed up by a black hole."

"Really?" Jack asked inquisitively, "And what of your kin? Were they all destroyed too?"

"Most of them," I answered, "There were four others that survived… but that's all ancient history now."

"These others… were they friends of yours?"

"For my part, I guess they were… why so curious?"

"Oh, no reason…" Jack responded. Suddenly the sound of Raina's voice caught my attention.

"Let go of me!"

"Raina… Jack, wait here!"

I ran off into the woods toward the sound of her voice, finally I found her struggling to fight off Senshi. The sound of my lightsaber igniting drew his attention.

"Did I come at a bad time, Senshi?"

I could see the hate in Senshi's eyes as he glared at me. He let go of Raina causing her to fall backwards.

"Back off Wonder boy," Senshi yelled at me, "This doesn't concern you!"

"Just walk away, Senshi. This doesn't have to end with anyone getting hurt."

"You think I'm afraid of you?"

"No, but if you touch her again, I'll give you a reason to be."

Senshi scowled at me and then glanced over at Raina.

"This isn't over…" he said through his teeth as he turned and walked off into the woods. I quickly turned off my lightsaber and ran over to Raina.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Raina said, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Just stick with me from now on, you won't have to worry about him anymore."

As Raina and I walked off together, Senshi stomped bitterly through the woods muttering curses to himself. As his anger grew he lost his focus and tripped over a tree root, falling flat on his face. As he hit the ground he found himself at the feet of a man cloaked in black. Senshi looked up to see Jack extending his hand to him.

"Senshi, right?" Jack asked, helping Senshi to his feet.

"Yeah that's me, what do you want?"

"What do I want?" Jack answered, "What I want is irrelevant, it's what you want that's important."

"What do you mean?"

"You want the girl, Senshi, don't you? But the off worlder stands in your way… what are you to do?"

"He's just too strong," Senshi said, shaking his head, "there isn't much I can do."

"Oh, but that is where you're wrong my friend," Jack snickered, "You want power? We can help you…"

"You have my attention."

"Heh, follow me. My master will fill you in on all the details…"

Jack led Senshi deeper and deeper into the forest. The trees twisted and grew more menacing as if the forest it self was closing in around them. Finally they came to a marsh that was covered by a thick mist. The ground below them was heavily saturated and slurped with their every step. As Senshi parted aside the sheets of moss that hung from the trees he found himself standing before a large dark structure.

"Come." Jack said, pulling his hood up over his head. Senshi followed Jack deep into the darkened building into a room lined with candles. Jack knelt before the altar.

"Lord Shokun, I have good news…"

From the shadows behind the altar, Shokun emerged. The very sight of him caused Senshi to take a step back.

"What is it," Shokun asked in a low booming voice.

"The blood of Lucias is all but spent," Jack answered, "The off worlder confirmed it himself. It would seem only five remain…"

"Excellent. We are so close now, his power is returning…"

"Who's power?" Senshi asked.

"Who is this?"

"This is Senshi of Shadows, my lord. He too wishes to be rid of the off worlder."

"I'm here because Jack promised me power!" Senshi interrupted.

"You want power? Ha!" Shokun laughed, "Do you know who we are, boy?"

Senshi shook his head. Shokun smiled and extended his hand causing the flames on all of the candles to shrink.

"We are the Samasu," Shokun explained, "Servants of Anemos."

"The power of the dark one is returning," Jack said, "The seal must be broken, then all that is conceived in darkness shall bring life to Moujuu. And when he returns, only his servants shall share in his power."

"That's all well and good," Senshi answered, "But I need this power now."

"Hmph," Shokun chuckled, "Tell me Senshi, what do you know of the dark side?"

A few weeks later Raina and I were sitting watching the sunrise together at our stream. Everything had become so peaceful and I was so happy I found that I was hardly able to even hold a thought in my head.

"Carashi," Raina said, breaking the silence, "I've been meaning to ask you something, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"You can ask me anything," I answered.

"How did you get those scars on your face?"

I turned my attention back to the stream, struggling to think of a way to explain it.

"I was… accused of a crime. They imprisoned me and tortured me."

"What did you do?"

I hesitated for a moment. I could hear the word in my head, "murder". I had almost forgotten about it. But still, I wasn't afraid to say it. I trusted her.

"I… murdered my mother…"

Raina was silent for a moment. I continued to focus straight ahead, unsure of how she had taken it.

"I'm so sorry Carashi," She finally said, "I had no idea."

"I've made a lot of mistakes in my past," I replied, "But whatever my crimes may have been I've paid for them and then some. That's not who I am anymore."

I finally looked up at Raina to see her smiling face looking at mine.

"I'm glad to hear it," She said.

As I smiled back at her suddenly I heard something in the brush behind us. I perked up and spun my head around.

"What is it?" Raina asked.

"We're not alone…"

I stepped in front of Raina and ignited my lightsaber. From behind one of the trees a sinister laugh slowly rose up, and out of the shadows stepped Senshi. There was something definitely different about him, his face was pale and his skin looked almost rotten. Then he opened his eyes. I was stunned to see them glowing a sickly yellow color.

"Senshi…" I said, "What happened to you?"

"Hehehehe…" Senshi continued to laugh, "Carashi of Shadows… protector of the seal. How did I know I'd find you here?"

"Senshi, listen to me," I said, "It's over between you and Raina. Now you obviously are not well, come, let us help you."

"You fool," Senshi croaked, "I don't want the girl anymore… your blood will do just fine."

"You can't win Senshi, don't do this."

"You underestimate the power of the dark side. I have become stronger then you could ever dream to be, and when he returns, on that glorious day when all the Kumori are brought to their knees, then you will beg me for forgiveness!"

"Senshi!" Raina shouted, "Have you gone completely insane?"

"Heh, heh. No my dear, I've actually never seen things more clearly…"

Senshi slowly raised his hands toward me and suddenly ten bolts of lightning shot out of his finger tips in my direction. My eyes widened as I quickly raised my lightsaber to block it, but the force of the blow knocked the saber from my hand.

"Raina, take cover!" I shouted.

Senshi sent another wave of force lightning my way which I barely avoided and then darted off into the woods.

"Hahahaha!" Senshi cackled loudly, "Run Carashi, run!"

Senshi continued to shoot lightning at me as I raced between the trees, the dark energy splintering the wood sending shards of it flying in all directions. Finally he lost sight of me.

"Go ahead and hide, Carashi," Senshi taunted, "After all, that is what you do best."

Senshi suddenly spun around, unsheathing his katana. His blade crashed into mine and we pressed our two swords against each other. Senshi smirked at me.

"No in atrum; addo vita ut Moujuu…"

"What did you say?" I had heard those words before… in the cave during my trials. What could they mean?

"The Samasu are returning Carashi… your time is over!"

I pushed Senshi forward with my katana and kicked him aside. He regained his balance and came back at me; his attack style was far more aggressive then before. He swung his katana at me with reckless abandon, but still I dodged his every swipe. Finally our swords locked again. This time I used the force to shove him back into a tree and separate him from his katana. As he scurried back to his feet I placed my blade at his neck.

"Talk, who are the Samasu?"

"It's too late," Senshi said, "Even if I don't finish you… he will…"

"Who!?"

Senshi didn't answer. He quickly shot out his hand to summon back his sword. Without hesitation I slid my katana across his neck sending blood spurting upward. Senshi collapsed to the ground. As I shook the blood off of my blade, I heard Raina coming up behind me.

"This is yours," She handed me back my lightsaber. I sheathed my katana and clipped the saber back onto my belt.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Raina," I said.

"You did what you had to," Raina answered, "Whatever that was… it wasn't Senshi... not anymore."

In the darkness of the shadow sanctum, Jack approached the altar where Shokun sat.

"It would appear that Senshi has failed, my lord."

"Hmm… indeed this Carashi is as powerful as you had predicted," Shokun said, "There can be no room for error from here on in."

"I have felt the dark one's power growing these past months my lord, the time is now."

"What do you suggest we do?" Shokun asked.

"The blood of Akari is strong," Jack answered, "And if this one were to realize his true potential then he could destroy us… but, for all of his strengths he still has one weakness…"


	16. The Power of the Dark Side

"_The path of the warrior is defined by a lust for power. Even the most virtuous of men find their paths twisted in the darkness and eventually consumed by it. Death stalks us all, power shall be my epitaph."_

_Anemos of Shadows_

**Chapter Sixteen: The Power of the Dark Side**

And so it has come to this. I can see no recourse, if the Luminos are to survive then I must take these matters into my own hands. My siblings have committed an unforgivable sin, they can no longer be trusted with the purity of our race. Apostates of the house of my father, all of them! And so they all must be punished. It didn't have to come to this, but the Luminos will be a great people again, no matter who would stand in my way.

As night fell on the city of Coruscant I stood before my brothers and sister a changed man. When my blade pierced the flesh of my sister's lover it became clear to me that my father's dream; that peace would require blood. After all, death is a natural part of life. Even Lucias had to slay the armies of the wicked to achieve peace, and so shall it be with me…

The Jedi we had been training, now armed to the teeth with katanas of their own, they rushed into the courtyard standing among the slain Libertas. As I raised my hand to push them back, suddenly I felt strange. The force seemed to feed off of my anger in a way I could scarcely control. As I extended my hand I held nothing back, the force flowed through me and the energy shot out of my hand in the form of lightning that spewed over the unsuspecting Jedi. My entire body seared and ached with the raw power of it… but I liked it.

As the Jedi began to advance forward, Ajunta tugged at my arm.

"Come on, this way! We can't take them all on down here!"

We turned and retreated into the palace where several Libertas were standing at attention. Ajunta quickly signaled them and they all rushed in to meet the Jedi head on. The two sides crashed into each other, the Jedi gaining the upper hand as their numbers pushed the few palace guards back.

"Atredious!" Terentius yelled as he took off one of the Libertas' hands with his saber, "we cannot let him escape!"

"You three go after him!" Miles yelled back at Terentius kicking an enemy aside, "We can handle ourselves here."

"Are you sure?"

"Just go! None of this will mean anything if Ajunta escapes!"

"Very well. Secure the palace, we'll be back!" Terentius turned to Constans and Eva and motioned for them to follow. The three of them headed down a long corridor after Ajunta and I and finally to a hanger in the rear of the palace. They arrived just in time to see our ship take off.

"They escaped…" Constans said.

"Not yet," Terentius answered pointing toward the familiar old battered spacecraft still in the hanger.

"Our old ship," Eva said, "Do you think it's flyable?"

"There's only one way to find out," Terentius answered. He rushed up the ship's ramp and into the cockpit where he punched at several buttons, but to no avail. Just then Constans and Eva entered the cockpit after him. Constans watched as Terentius fumbled at the controls, finally interrupting him.

"Here, let me try," Constans nudged Terentius aside, stared at the controls for a second while scratching his chin, then finally raised his fist and slammed it into the panel. Suddenly the controls lit up.

"Nice," Terentius commented.

"She just needed a little love, that's all," Constans answered. Terentius sat down in the pilot's seat and slowly eased the old ship out of the hanger.

"Where do you think they went?" Eva asked.

"Libertas station," Terentius answered, "All of Ajunta's back up is there."

"Do you think we can take them all by ourselves?" Constans asked.

"We won't have to, so long as we can get to Ajunta first and talk some sense into Atredious…"

Meanwhile, back in the palace Miles Drake and the other Jedi finished off the last of the remaining Libertas. As the last of them fell, from inside the throne room stepped a man in dark armor wielding a lightsaber of his own. It was Ajunta's right hand man, Jurran Reed.

"Well, it would seem we underestimated you," Jurran said with a sneer, "But this time there will be no mistake."

"Jurran," Miles called back, "Don't go through with this, Ajunta has lost his mind! He's become even worse then James Cell ever was!"

"Heh heh, you don't get it do you? The power that Carashi taught us, the power that those Luminos taught you… it's nothing! We've discovered something far greater."

"You can't win Jurran. Not against all of us," Miles lowered his sword and extended his hand to Jurran, "Come with us. There's no need to throw your life away."

"Hahahahaha… the force is a living thing Miles. It needs to feed, and emotion is its fuel. Give in to your anger, Miles. Fuel your hatred and feel its power," Jurran raised his blade above his head, "Bring it on, all of you! You can't possibly defeat me now!"

Miles was still for a moment, a look of dejection on his face. Finally he too raised his katana. Jurran didn't hesitate, charging at Miles and slamming his sword into his. After a brief jockeying of strength Jurran extended his hand and shoved Miles back with the force. Just then all of the other Jedi swarmed over Jurran who, in an unnatural display of muscle, knocked them each aside one by one. Finally he ended this exhibition by decapitating one of the Jedi and with a powerful thrust, kicked his limp body aside.

"Is that all you've got?" Jurran taunted as the Jedi slowly rose back to their feet. Jurran readied himself for another wave when he noticed the Jedi were just staring at him. Quickly he spun around and came face to face with Miles, with a flash of light his blade swept across Jurran's chest. Jurran fell to his knees, his katana rolled off of his finger tips and clattered onto the floor. He looked on in utter disbelief at the blood pouring from his chest.

"And now that it is over, what has your power brought you?" Miles said to Jurran as he collapsed, "I'm sorry old friend."

On the bridge of Libertas station, Ajunta Pall quickly punched a code into the panel on the wall. It slid open to reveal a weapons cache of katanas and rifles. As Ajunta frantically dug through the weapons, I just gazed out into space, transfixed on the stars. My mind was racing, so many thoughts at once each of which was more and more sickening. As my mind wandered I steadily became aware of Ajunta babbling on about something.

"Silence!" I yelled, "They're coming…"

"Of course they'll come," Ajunta answered, "But their army won't be any match for ours, not with all of these weapons."

"No you fool. Not the Jedi… my kin… they're coming."

"What? Just the three of them? They'll never get past all of the Libertas, even without the weapons, three kids are no match for my army."

I slowly turned away from the window and looked at Ajunta.

"They're here."

Just then a lightsaber burst through the bridge door cutting a clean circular hole into it. The hunk of metal was kicked inward and through the breach came Terentius, Constans and Eva.

"Atredious!" Terentius yelled, there was a clear strain in his voice.

"Good of you to come, brother," I answered, "You always were very dependable. Father would be proud…"

"Enough of this! You have to understand, this isn't what Father wanted!"

"Such an ego…" I scolded, my gaze never leaving Terentius, "Do you remember what you said to me, that last day on Terresta? You said, 'Have faith in Lucias.'… Do you now think yourself so great that you are above the word of Lucias himself?"

"Atredious…" Terentius said, almost exhausted, "The council was wrong about humans, there is no more evil in them then any of us. The council was evil!"

"Hmph," I laughed to myself, "That's what I thought," I ignited my lightsaber and closed my eyes. All of my dark thoughts continued to swirl in my head until finally I could hold it back no longer. Slowly I reopened my eyes and my sibling recoiled. My eyes had began to glow as red as my saber's blade.

"The penalty for treason is death!" I yelled, "Now come!"

Terentius hesitated no longer; he came at me with his saber and attacked with skilled precision. I was able to match him blow for blow, but then Eva attacked as well. Meanwhile, Constans was able to keep Ajunta busy. With a single swing of his lightsaber he cut Ajunta's carefully sharpened katana in two. Dropping the broken hilt Ajunta then pulled out his lightsaber only to have Constans yank it away from him with the force. Desperate, Ajunta extended his hand, shoving Constans back, he quickly turned and dashed for the weapons cache. As he made his way inside Constans stood up and used the force to slide the blast door shut and lock Ajunta inside.

Constans then too joined my other siblings in attacking me. I continued to slash wildly at Terentius and Eva, my body was moving almost completely out of my control. As Constans entered the fray I was backed into a corner and surrounded.

"So this is it?" I said, "This is how the Luminos die…"

"We're not going to kill you," Terentius said, "But you have gone too far this time. Murder, anarchy, and malicious use of the force, you have deliberately violated every law passed down by Lucias himself and you would claim that we are the traitors?"

"If we allow these humans to rule then the Luminos are finished! Father said that…"

"Father is dead Atredious!" Terentius interrupted, "Accept it!"

"That is something I cannot do…" I turned off my lightsaber in an attempt to get them to lower their guard, then quickly raised both my hands to shower them with lightning. However, they simply redirected the lightning back at me with their lightsabers.

I pushed as hard as I could but it was no use. I soon collapsed, my skin burning. The only thing running through my mind was the promise I had failed to keep…

As I lay unconscious on the floor my siblings stood at the bridge controls.

"What are we to do with them?" Constans asked, "We can't just kill all of Libertas."

"I know," Terentius answered, "But they can't stay here…"

"Then what are you suggesting? Exile? But to where?"

Terentius brought up the ship's navicomputer and scanned the list of planets. One in particular caught his eye.

"There," Terentius said, tapping on a small orange world in the far corner of the screen, "this one is barren… no known life forms."

"Korriban…" Eva read aloud.

"We'll send the station there," Terentius said, "If they should survive the crash well… may Lucias help them…"

Constans punched in the coordinates and the station slowly made its turn. The three of them exchanged despondent glances as the station finally settled into position.

"She'll jump into hyperspace in twenty minutes, which should be plenty of time if we don't do anything…"

"Freeze!"

"…stupid."

Behind the three Luminos the Libertas blocked the exit wielding blasters and katanas. Terentius looked over at Eva and nodded, then to Constans. All three at once used force push on the control panel, breaking it off and sending it flying at the exit. The explosion knocked the Libertas aside allowing the Luminos to dash past.

"Well there's no stopping it now," Constans said, "This ship is headed for Korriban."

Terentius ignited his lightsaber and cut an opening into one of the vents.

"Hurry, we can get to the hanger through here."

The three Luminos shuffled there way through the ventilation shaft, finally arriving at the hanger. As they dropped down and reentered their shuttle, a squad of Libertas suddenly rushed in and began to set up an ion cannon.

"Get this thing in the air!" Eva shouted as Terentius scrambled to the pilot's seat and began punching wildly at the controls.

"Damn it! Where's the start button on this thing!?"

"Outta the way," Constans yelled giving the control panel a swift kick. The instruments suddenly lit up and the Luminos were thrust backward as the ship took off.

Back on the bridge, Ajunta's beating on the blast door finally caught the attention of some of the Libertas who rushed over to open it. Ajunta fell out, gasping for air.

"Where… where are they!?" He gasped. The Libertas looked at each other stupefied. "Idiots!" Ajunta shoved the guards aside and walked over to where I lay unconscious. He gave me a hard kick in the ribs. "Wake up!"

"What…"

"They got away."

I sat up and looked around the room, immediately I noticed the instrument panel missing. I quickly turned my head out the window and noticed Coruscant was no longer in view.

"What happened to Coruscant?" I asked. The others became dead silent as they stared out the window as well. Suddenly the stars began to elongate and with a sudden flash of light the ship was sent hurtling into hyperspace.

It seemed like days that we sat on that ship until it finally exited hyperspace. Outside of the bridge window I could see an orange rocky planet growing larger and larger.

"Where the hell are we?" I asked.

"Could be anywhere," Ajunta answered, "Since those bastards destroyed the control panel, we have no way of knowing where we are or which way is home."

"Send all our troops to the hanger, we're going to the surface. If there's anything intelligent on that planet it could be our only hope."

"Yes m'lord, but it will take some time, we have to test the atmosphere and run several…"

"Now, Ajunta," I yelled, "In case you hadn't noticed, this station is on a collision course, and we have no way of slowing it down."

Ajunta looked up out the window again and noticed the planet growing rapidly. He silently nodded and took off towards the hanger. I turned to leave as well when I noticed my lightsaber still lying on the floor. I summoned it back to my hand and followed after Ajunta.

There were only a few ships in the hanger, each packed to capacity with what was left of the Libertas. Our ships took off and out into space. Once we got enough distance between ourselves and the station, we watched as it plummeted toward the surface. The massive fire ball was visible even from our position miles over head.

"Take us down," I ordered.

"Where?" the pilot asked.

As I scanned the planet's surface I noticed a large valley cutting through the barren wastes.

"There," I said pointing to the valley, "If there's any life, that's where I'm betting it would be…"


	17. Shadows to Dust

"_Go forth my sons, be a beacon for those who are lost and immersed in darkness. Even though I may be gone, the name of Lucias shall live on in my children forever. Never forget who and what you are; pure of mind, of body, and of spirit."_

_Excerpt from the Book of Lucias _

**Chapter Seventeen: Shadows to Dust…**

I still couldn't sleep. Something dark in the depths of my mind was tormenting me. No matter how hard I try to make things right, it's always there. I stood at my window, staring out at the blackened trees and listening to the muted sound of the branches swaying in the wind from behind the glass.

It was so cold on Chinine at night, almost as if life itself just stopped. In the bed behind me Raina slowly awakened. I didn't turn, just continued to gaze blankly into the darkness.

"Still having nightmares?" Raina asked.

"Yes," I answered softly, "I thought I would be able to shake them… but they just get worse as time passes."

"Are you sure you're not just putting too much pressure on yourself?"

"I stayed here because I felt I finally belonged somewhere. But the longer I'm here the more I feel…" I hesitated for a moment.

"Feel what?" Raina asked.

"I feel like I'm still running from my past. I know what I have to do but… maybe I'm just afraid of what it would mean if I did it."

Raina came over from the bed and wrapped her arms around me.

"I love you. You belong here, with the Kumori… and with me."

I smiled and placed my hands on hers.

"You're right. I love you too."

"Carashi…" Raina trailed off. She had a concerned tone in her voice which caught my attention. I immediately turned to her.

"What? What's wrong?"

Raina seemed distant for a moment, then finally her eyes came back to mine.

"Carashi I'm… I'm pregnant."

I was at a loss for words, so naturally I spit out the first thing that came to mind.

"How!?"

Raina raised her eyebrow, staring at me as I continued to fumble with my words.

"Well obviously… I know how. But… when did you?..."

"Just yesterday."

"Your father doesn't know, does he?"

"No. What are we going to do? We can't tell him, can we?

"I'll tell him," I said almost cringing at the thought, "Anjuu is a good man, he'll understand. I'll go over there first thing tomorrow morning."

Raina smiled and gave me a big hug and kiss.

"Thank you."

As she returned to the bed I turned back to the window. Just two seconds ago I thought I knew what I had to do. But now things were even more complicated then before…

"Aren't you coming back to bed?" Raina asked.

"Yeah," I answered quietly, "Just gimme a minute."

I leaned back in my chair listening to the wind howl outside. I remained there, transfixed, until morning.

The very next day I left early to head for Anjuu's home. I couldn't even begin to fathom how I was going to tell him or what words I might use, but my feet kept me moving forwards anyway. Finally I arrived and noticed his door was open. I leaned in and saw Anjuu sitting meditating on the floor. I knocked gently on the door to get his attention.

"Excuse me, Anjuu," I said shyly, as if I'd never spoken to the man before. He perked up from his position and turned to face me.

"Carashi," Anjuu said with enthusiasm, "well I must say this is an unexpected surprise. Please, come in."

"Do you want me to close the door?" I asked.

"No no," Anjuu exclaimed, "I always leave it open. The fresh air is good for the soul. Come on in and make yourself comfortable, I believe I still have some tea on the stove."

"Oh that's quite alright, I won't be long…"

"Nonsense. You just have a seat and I'll be back before you know it."

Anjuu scurried off into the kitchen, he probably didn't get very many guests and considering the news that I had come to deliver, I figured it would be in my best interest to be as polite as possible. As I looked around the room I noticed all sorts of trinkets and artifacts, the old man had quite a collection. One piece in particular was especially stunning; a bronze relief that hung on the wall. It depicted a winged man of gold falling from the heavens and into a pit of fire. As I stared at the piece, Anjuu emerged from the kitchen and handed me my tea.

"An impressive collection you have here," I said.

"Oh yes," Anjuu replied, "Priceless treasures from throughout our history… it always is comforting to me to be reminded of where I come from… who I am."

"I was just admiring that one," I said, pointing towards the relief. Anjuu smiled, almost laughing to himself.

"Intangible," He said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"It is said that the first beings to have been created by the gods… were godlike themselves."

"You mean like the Luminos?"

"Oh no… far more powerful then that I'm afraid. The Intangibles were as indestructible as the gods themselves. But naturally such power went to their heads. They tried to become greater then the gods, and so they were cursed and cast down."

"Indestructible?"

"Ha ha, don't worry my boy. It's only a myth. And even if it were true, the Intangibles would be long extinct by now, I assure you."

After that there was a long and awkward silence. I sipped my tea trying to think of what to say next when Anjuu finally spoke up.

"I have a feeling you didn't come here just to keep me company, so what troubles you my son?"

"What do you mean? I don't mind keeping you company…"

"Oh don't give me that," Anjuu interrupted, "I'm old, not stupid. Now tell me, what's on your mind?"

I placed my tea cup down on the table in front of me and collected my thoughts.

"It's about… Raina."

"Oh? Nothing's wrong I hope."

"No, nothing's wrong… well as you know, Raina and I have become very close in these recent months…"

"Careful Carashi," Anjuu warned, "You have pledged yourself to the shadows… and one can only dwell within shadow alone."

"I know but…"

"But what?"

I took a deep breath and looked Anjuu in the eyes.

"I just found out last night… Raina is pregnant…"

Anjuu was silent as he stared off into space for a moment. He then rose to his feet without saying a word and walked over to the bronze relief on the wall.

"And you are the father I presume."

"Yes…"

"That is unfortunate… you would've become one of our finest warriors…"

"I can still be a Kumori."

"No!" Anjuu shouted back, "That is no life for a man with a family… trust me, I know. To be Kumori is to be alone. It is a simple and unavoidable truth."

"Then what?" I asked.

"What? You're going to be a father and a husband… that is your duty now. This is the path you and Raina have chosen… and I am happy for you…you do intend to marry her, don't you?"

"Of course."

"Hmph… well then you better get going. I'm going to need total peace and quiet if I'm going to plan a wedding."

"Thank you, Anjuu."

"Go on then… Lucias be with all three of you my son."

That night I was again disturbed by nightmares. The beautiful field I had once embraced my father in on Terresta was now frozen and dead, covered in a thick sheet of snow. My home was old and worn… I drudged through the cold and entered the open door to find an old man staring back at me. I called out to him.

"Father!"

But there was no answer. Consumed by a feeling of rage, I watched myself from afar as I withdrew my katana and thrust it into his stomach.

"Be strong for me, Father…"

With the sound of cracking metal I was suddenly jolted awake. My door was open again and Raina was gone… I shot up out of the bed and out the door, looking frantically in all directions.

"Raina! Raina!" I yelled as loud as I could, but there was no answer. It was then I saw a man running down the road toward me, it was Jack.

"Carashi!" Jack shouted, "There you are!"

"Jack? What's wrong? Where's Raina?"

"She's fine," Jack said out of breath, "She's in the village, you have to come quick!"

"What is it?"

"It's Anjuu…"

My eyes widened and I motioned for Jack to lead the way. I followed Jack back into town where the commotion had awakened the other villagers; they were all gathered around Anjuu's home. Jack and I pushed our way through the crowd and into the house where Raina held her father in his arms. A katana lay lodged in his stomach, the hilt having been broken off.

"Is he?..."

Raina nodded slowly, whipping the tears away from her face.

"I'm so sorry Raina…"

"His attacker must have snuck in while he was asleep," Jack said, examining the room, "From the looks of things here, there was definitely a struggle."

It was then I became aware of my surroundings, the room was trashed. The artifacts that had been placed around the room were now strewn about the floor, most of which were destroyed beyond repair. Only the relief of the Intangible remained untouched.

"Such a terrible tragedy," Jack said shaking his head, "For our leader to die so soon."

I walked over to Raina and put my arms around her to try and comfort her.

"Then… who will lead the Kumori now?" I asked.

"According to our laws the eldest of the tribe must always lead," Jack explained, "Wisdom is of great importance among the Kumori."

"But who?"

"That would be me."

A tall and muscular man with long dark hair entered the home. He had a large scar on his face and his eyes were cold and emotionless.

"My name is Shokun… Shokun of Shadows."

"I've never seen you around the village before…" I said to Shokun.

"There is no need for concern Carashi," Jack said, "Shokun is a wise and powerful leader. He will find Anjuu's murderer and bring him to justice."

"That I can guarantee," Shokun said.

I looked at Shokun suspiciously. There was definitely something dark about him.

"Well I guess we don't have much choice, do we? If Jack trusts you… then I will trust you."

Shokun nodded slightly and turned around, exiting the home to address the crowd that had gathered. Inside, Jack, Raina and I sat in silence trying to make sense of what had just occurred.

"I… I can't believe this is happening," Raina finally said carefully laying Anjuu's body onto the floor. I helped her back to her feet.

"I had just spoken with him yesterday…" I said in a daze staring at the old man with whom I had just recently had tea. It was then that the murder weapon caught my attention.

"Then you were the last one to see him alive," Jack answered, "Other then the murderer of course…"

"I have to go back to my home." I suddenly shouted.

"Buy why?" Raina asked.

"There is something I must check. Wait for me here."

I abruptly dashed out of the house, leaving Jack and Raina dumbfounded by my sudden change in behavior. I pushed through the crowd again and ran as fast as I could back down the road and through the open door of my home. I immediately went to the closet and began rummaging through my robes. I paused as I came across what I was looking for. A look of horror swept across my face as out from one of my robes I slowly pulled the hilt of a katana, the blade was broken off and missing.

I stood up and stumbled back away from the closet shaking my head. I dropped the hilt and it hit the floor with a thud.

"I-I couldn't have… it's not possible!"

"Couldn't have what?"

Startled, I spun around to see Jack standing in the doorway. His gaze slowly transferred from me to the hilt on the floor.

"You…" he said slowly.

"No…it couldn't have been… at least I don't think it could…"

"If Shokun were to discover this, they would have to kill you… and if Raina found out…"

"You can't!" I shouted back, "You wouldn't tell her…"

"I'm not so sure…"

"Jack, I have to get out of here… you have to help me."

A smirk came over Jack's face as he closed his eyes and lowered his head.

"I'll do what I can."

"Thank you Jack, you're a good friend. You have to tell Raina to meet me by our stream at sunrise, tell her it's important."

"Where are you going to go?" Jack asked.

"Back where I belong," I answered, "I'm a Kumori now, I can't keep running any longer."

"Very well… but you owe me one."

"You're a life saver Jack. I won't forget this."

Later that night, after the crowd had dispersed, Jack returned to Anjuu's home. Only Shokun remained inside, sitting in the darkness.

"It would seem things have taken an unexpected turn in our favor, my lord."

"You may see it that way, but I do not," Shokun said, "The girl now too carries the blood of Akari within her."

"Do not worry my lord," Jack answered, "These recent turn of events have convinced our Luminos friend to return to his home world. I'm certain that if any sons of Akari still live, I will find them there."

"Go then, wipe them all out. Once the line of Lucias is destroyed then the seal will be broken… and our King will return to rule once more…"

"I will not fail Lord Shokun. Anemos shall live again."

With that Jack left the home and Shokun alone. The sun was rising and down by the stream I nervously awaited Raina. Finally from the forest, she and Jack arrived.

"Carashi, there you are!" Raina said, giving me a hug, "What is it you had to tell me here?"

"We have to leave, Raina. It's no longer safe here."

"Leave? But where will we go?"

"Back to where I came from, to Coruscant. I have friends there, we will be safe."

"I don't understand, what's going on?"

"Raina, you have to trust me."

"I do trust you Carashi."

"The ship you landed in is just behind the tower," Jack said, "And if you're leaving then I'm coming too."

"Jack… you don't have to do this."

"But I want to… what are friends for?"

I smiled and patted Jack on the shoulder.

"Well then it's good to have you with us. Come on, let's get out of here."


	18. Rise of the Sith

"_As the spirit of Moujuu was purged from the galaxy and sent to the void, the vessel that was Anemos remained. Even though slain, his worldly form still possessed a dark and corruptive power. And so he was cast away to the farthest corner of the galaxy so that darkness could no longer infect those whom Lucias had saved."_

_Excerpt from the Book of Lucias_

**Chapter Eighteen: Rise of the Sith**

Our ships entered the atmosphere of the strange planet and we began our decent towards the valley. As we approached, suddenly all the instruments in our shuttle went haywire. The pilot struggled with the controls.

"What's going on?" Ajunta asked.

"I don't know," The pilot said, "Something is interfering with our computers, they've take control of the ship."

"What do you mean they've taken control of the ship! Who!?" I shouted.

"The computer system has been totally overridden and the controls are non-responsive…"

As we looked on nervously, our ships continued in toward the valley, finally touching down on the rough and dusty surface. The ramps all dropped on their own and we cautiously exited out into the strange new world. It was quiet… too quiet. The planet seemed dead, the surface was dry and barren without a hint of life.

There were over a hundred Libertas left. We all came together and began to move through the valley. It was then I felt it, a dark presence that seemed to come from everywhere its eyes upon me, watching. I abruptly stopped and ignited my lightsaber.

"I feel it also," Ajunta said, unsheathing his katana. Slowly from behind the rocks they began to reveal themselves. They looked like men, but their skin was a dark red and they had beards that wriggled and squirmed independently like tentacles. The wielded spears and were dressed in dirty brown rags. As I raised my lightsaber I quickly noticed that we were surrounded.

"Unsheathe your swords!" Ajunta shouted. The Libertas all unsheathed their katanas. It was then that one of the creatures spoke.

"I would not think that very wise off worlder," The creature raised his arm and several more appeared up on the ridge pointing rifles in our direction. By this time I had just about enough of people giving me orders. I hesitated for just a moment before extending my hand toward the ridge and blasting it with lightning. The rocks blew apart and the riflemen tumbled down to into the valley below. The creatures surrounding us immediately raised their spears and pointed them at my neck. The creature that had spoken earlier stared at me in amazement.

"That lightning…" he said, "Only us Sith can harness such power. Where do you come from off worlder that you would've learned such things?"

"My name is Atredious," I answered, "and I am the last of a great civilization."

The creatures all looked at each other and finally lowered their spears.

"Indeed? You must come with us. Our leader will wish to speak with you…"

The creatures began to file away, entering the side of the valley through a small opening in the rock face. As I began to follow, Ajunta stopped me.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"To speak with their leader, these things may prove of some use to us."

"And what could we possibly hope to gain from allying ourselves with these savages?"

I smiled at Ajunta.

"Revenge."

I entered the cave with the Libertas following after me. After passing through a narrow dark passageway, we finally entered the main chamber. It was massive. Thousands of the red skinned creatures were gathered around a large pyramid structure on their knees with their heads lowered in reverence. Around them there were ships, hundreds of them, an entire fleet's worth. All of which must have been seized from unfortunate travelers who landed on their planet.

We followed our guide through the crowd and towards the pyramid. As I stared at the strangely glowing structure suddenly I felt cold. I could hear the faint sound of voices speaking in dark tongues all around me until finally I came to entrance. One of the creatures stood before the brink, he was carrying a staff and wearing long black robes. He stared into my eyes for a long time before speaking.

"Do you know what this is?" He asked.

"I do not."

"It is a tomb… surely one such as you has already felt its dark power. It is from here where we Sith draw our strength. I am Darth Salasaar, lord of the Sith. My men tell me that you too have mastered this dark power. How could this be?"

"Those from my planet are naturally born with such power," I answered, "But only I now wield this 'dark side' of the force. If I may ask, who exactly taught you to use the force?"

"As I mentioned before," Salasaar said, "Our strength is drawn from within this tomb."

Salasaar stepped aside revealing a corridor that led into the pyramid. Ajunta's eye's where fixated into the abyss almost as if someone was beckoning him into the darkness.

"Can we go inside?" Ajunta asked.

"I would advise against that…" Salasaar said, "All who have entered the tomb have never returned."

Ajunta's expression remained almost comatose as he began to lurch forward. I quickly grabbed him by the shoulder and tossed him back.

"Snap out of it!" I yelled, "Salasaar, we need your assistance."

"Yes, I know," Salasaar answered, "Your coming has been long prophesized. A dark lord sent by the spirit within the tomb who was endowed with his powers that would lead our people to war. We have been amassing our army in preparation for your arrival."

"Is that so?" I asked, smiling grimly. It seemed that convincing these 'Sith' to help us would not be as difficult as I had first assumed. Salasaar slowly kneeled before me.

"You are the true lord of the Sith," he said, "We are prepared to do battle for you, Darth Atredious."

Darth Atredious… I liked the sound of that. With these Sith at my command, the Jedi would surely fall. I leaned over to one of my men.

"Check these ships for maps," I said, "Tell the Sith to ready there forces, we leave for Coruscant first thing tomorrow."

"Yes sir."

"Come Lord Atredious," Salasaar said, "I'll show you and your men our flagship."

Salasaar led us away toward the fleet and the crowd of Sith dispersed as well. However, Ajunta managed to slip away from the group and back to the pyramid. As he stood before the entrance of the tomb he could hear a voice speaking to him.

"_Hac colligo noster cruentus progenies per pugna itaque odium…_" (Here gathers together our bloody history of war and hatred…)

Ajunta began to move forward and into the tomb, his body moving beyond his control. As he passed through the halls Ajunta could feel the dark energy wrapping around him, chilling him to the bone. Upon entering the central chambers, fantastic terrors began to fill Ajunta's head. His heart raced and he struggled to catch his breath. The walls seemed to be alive. Ajunta quickly began to panic, swatting around as if something was grabbing at him.

"Are you the dark lord of the Sith?..."

Startled, Ajunta spun around to see a man in black armor standing in the center of the chamber. His face was pale and distorted. His very presence struck a terrible fear into Ajunta and he struggled to respond.

"Y-yes!" He finally answered, "I am the lord of the Sith!"

"Your thoughts betray you… you would openly lie to me…" the man said. Ajunta began to step backwards, clinching at the hilt of his katana.

"But yet… there is truth in your words. The man you follow… he is Luminos, is he not?"

"Yes…" Ajunta said, slowly letting his fingers slip away from his weapon, "How did you…"

"Do you wish to wield his power?"

Ajunta fell to his knees.

"I could have such power?… What must I do?"

"You must… destroy the Luminos."

"But how?" Ajunta asked, "They are too powerful and I am but a human."

"Search my tomb young one," the man said, "and you will find the means to destroy your enemies."

The man slowly began to fade away into the darkness. He still spoke to Ajunta, his voice echoing all around him.

"_Ego sum fui futurus qui unde edi viscus in atrocitas, audio noctis, itaque decido luminarium…_" (I am that which grips the heart in fright, hearkens night, and slices the light…)

Ajunta stood back up and stumbled forward to where the man has once stood. He found a sarcophagus covered in a thin layer of dust. He struggled to lift the lid and push it aside. Inside the sarcophagus Ajunta found bones and tattered cloth, but there was something else as well. Ajunta reached in and slowly lifted out a sheathe that housed a katana. As he wrapped his fingers around the hilt, the power was intoxicating. He quickly ripped the blade from it's sheathe to reveal a steel notched sword. The blade was almost alive with dark power. Ajunta took the sword and sheathe that was already on his belt and dropped it into the sarcophagus, replacing it with the new one. He then turned and hurried out of the tomb.

Upon exiting the tomb, Ajunta found Salasaar and me waiting for him.

"There you are," I said, "What were you doing in there?"

"Just doing some investigating…" Ajunta said hesitantly.

"You made it out alive," Salasaar said, "What was inside? Did you find anything?"

We both stared at Ajunta as he seemed to be thinking over his response.

"No… there was nothing inside," He finally answered. I looked at him suspiciously, my eyes drawn to the blade at his side for some reason. He quickly tucked it underneath his robe.

"Nothing?" Salasaar said, "How disappointing…"

"Come on, Ajunta," I said, "We have a war to plan."

"Yes… my lord…"

Together the three of us headed back to the ship that would lead our fleet into battle when I noticed something glimmering out of the corner of my eye.

"What are those?" I asked.

"They're crystals that form only in this cave due to the dark power of the tomb," Salasaar explained, "We carry them with us when we go to war far from this valley. They are charged with dark side energy."

I continued to stare at the crystals, they seemed to glow with an inner red light. It was then that my attention turned to the lightsaber at my side.

"I think I have an idea…"

The next day I watched as the Sith scurried about making the final preparations before we left for battle. The fleet was almost ready for war. It was then that Salasaar approached me.

"We have constructed the weapons just as you asked my lord."

"Good. Did you issue them to all of our men?"

"Yes m'lord. They seemed quite pleased. They are eager for battle."

"Excellent. Then let us not disappoint them. Prepare the _Heaven's Wrath _for my arrival."

"It will be done, Lord Atredious."

As I made my way to leave the cave, the ceiling of the cavern began to creek and grind. Slowly it came apart, letting the light pour in from the sky above. The ships in the cavern began to take off one at a time into orbit. As I exited back into the valley I came face to face with the massive capital ship; _Heaven's Wrath._ There were Sith standing at attention as I entered the ship and made my way onto the bridge where Ajunta and Salasaar were waiting.

"The fleet has been given the hyperspace coordinates for the planet Coruscant," Salasaar said, "They wait for your signal."

I stood silent for a moment before finally turning back to answer Salasaar.

"Do it."

With tremendous force the _Heaven's Wrath_ lurched off of the planet's surface and into the air. We joined the rest of the fleet in orbit over the planet. All of the ships began to make the jump to light speed on their way to Coruscant… and to war.


	19. The Calm before the Storm

"_A man was brought in by the elder guard today, a peasant, poorly dressed in rags and carrying a suitcase that contained all of his meager possessions. Felix began to read the charges against him; treason, rape, heresy… all levied upon him due to the simple fact that he was a human man who had married a Luminos woman. I listened to his plight and it occurred to me… was I any better then this man? The members of this council had entertained plenty of human women in their life time, myself included. Who were we to cast such judgment? Then, after all his crimes had been read and his fate had been sealed, the man finally spoke. He pleaded with Marcus to have mercy upon him, for the sake of his wife and young son. Marcus would have none of it, the slam of his gavel opened my eyes. I could see myself standing in front of the tribunal, my wife and children taken from me. How many countless others had I sat back and allowed this fate in the name of Lucias? May my children forgive me…"_

_Isaac's Report _

**Chapter Nineteen: The Calm before the Storm**

It was strange seeing Coruscant again. So much had changed since I last set foot on her surface. Raina and Jack were silent throughout most of the trip, I don't think any of us knew what to expect. I couldn't help but wonder what had become of my old friends, or if they'd even remember me.

All seemed quiet, our ship was directed to land in the palace hanger. As we flew in I noticed that there were five new spires reaching towards the heavens from atop the palace. As we entered the hanger I noticed many fighters and other types of warships, all part of the good King James' old fleet.

There was only one man who arrived to greet us in the hanger, an old pupil of mine, Miles Drake.

"Well lookie who we have here," Miles said with a smile on his face, "Carashi… it has been much too long my old friend."

As I reached out to shake Miles' hand but he pulled me in for a hug. Just then Raina and Jack made their way down the loading ramp.

"Made a few new friends in your travels, eh Carashi?" Miles asked.

"Ah yes, this is Raina and Jack Razor," I answered.

Jack glanced over Miles and noticed the lightsaber on his belt.

"Now that's interesting," Jack said, "That's the same sort of weapon Carashi has. Are you a Luminos too?"

"You mean the lightsaber?" Miles said placing his hand over the hilt, "Nah I'm not a Luminos, just a Jedi Knight. There are only three Luminos on this planet… other then Carashi that is."

"A Jedi Knight!?" I exclaimed, "Ha! I'm out of it for a little while and suddenly everyone gets delusions of grandeur."

"Tell me, master Jedi," Jack interrupted, "Would it be possible to meet these other Luminos?"

"An excellent idea," I said, "I do need to speak with them,"

"Of course," Miles answered, "Right this way."

"Um, Carashi," Raina said silently tugging at my arm, "If it's all the same to you I think I'd better go lie down. I'm suddenly not feeling very well."

"Right. Miles, is there a medical room around here?"

"Certainly, right this way miss, I'll have one of our knights escort you."

Miles motioned for one of the other Jedi.Raina went off with him towards the medical room. Miles then turned back to Jack and I.

"Follow me gentlemen."

Miles led us through the palace and up into one of the newly constructed spires. I could still smell the fresh paint. At the top we came to a large round room whose walls were made up of windows that gave a spectacular panoramic view of the city. There were four chairs on the far side of the room in which Terentius, Constans and Eva sat. One was empty. The three Luminos stood up as we entered the room.

"Carashi…" Eva said, almost speechless.

"Welcome to the Jedi Temple," Constans said with a smile on his face, "We had a feeling you might be coming back."

"So did I…" I answered, "Where's Atredious?"

"It's a… long story," Eva said.

Terentius didn't say anything to me, he was staring over at Jack the entire time.

"Who's your friend?" Terentius asked.

"Oh this is Ja…"

"Jack Razor," Jack interrupted, "And you must be the Luminos… I've heard so much about you."

"We are, and what are you my friend," Terentius asked, "The force is definitely very strong with you. Are you a student of Carashi's?"

"No…" Jack answered.

"Well you're definitely not a Luminos are you?"

"No. I'm something else."

"He's a Kumori," I replied, "It also is a long story. Actually I came back here because I needed to speak with all of you… in private."

Jack suddenly perked up, realizing we were talking about him.

"Oh don't mind me," He said, "I'll just go find a nice quiet place to meditate…"

Jack lowered his head and slowly left the room. As he made his way back into the main hall he noticed several Jedi leaving one of the rooms near the hanger. As the last Jedi let the door close behind him Jack used the force to keep it open just a crack. He then snuck over and entered the room, closing and locking the door behind him. It was the air traffic control room. Outside of the window in front of him was the hanger which housed Coruscant's meager navy.

Jack pulled his hood up over his head so that no one down below would catch a glimpse of his face. He began to access the system's computer when suddenly a light on the panel started flashing. "Unidentified incoming ship detected" it read. Jack paused for a moment. He looked over his shoulder back at the door. No one was there. Jack then turned back to the control panel and pressed the flashing button.

Meanwhile, the _Heaven's Wrath _exited hyperspace near Coruscant. Atredious looked over the system from the bridge. Just then, Ajunta Pall came over to speak with him.

"My lord, pardon me for interrupting, but we are receiving an incoming message from Coruscant."

"What!?" Atredious shouted, "How could they have been alerted to our presence?"

"I'm not sure, but I think you should come have a look."

Ajunta led Atredious over to the holo projector. As Atredious flipped it on suddenly Jack's image appeared on the table in front of them.

"This is Darth Atredious, the dark lord of the Sith, to whom am I speaking?"

"Lord of the Sith, eh?" Jack answered casually, "I'm afraid I've never heard of any Sith… but Atredious? You wouldn't happen to be a friend of the Luminos, would you?"

"I am the only true Luminos," Atredious answered, "The inhabitants of your pathetic planet shall soon learn that. My brothers and sister shall be taught a lesson in what it means to be Luminos… all of you will!"

"Whoa, slow down there Darth," Jack answered, "I take it you have a bit of a grudge against all these Jedi… the three Luminos in particular."

"Are you not one of them?" Atredious asked.

"No… but I think you and I can help each other."

"Yeah? And who the hell are you exactly?"

"I serve a higher power… It would seem that you and my master have similar interests."

"And what would that be?"

"The destruction of the Jedi…"

Atredious and Ajunta looked at each other then back at the hologram.

"You have my attention," Atredious said.

"I have come here in pursuit of a Luminos called Carashi," Jack explained, "While I may be able to destroy him, all of these Jedi and their Luminos masters may be beyond my skill… that is where I will need you."

"Carashi…" Ajunta said almost in disbelief, "How could that son of a bitch still be alive?"

"Why should I listen to you?" Atredious asked.

"Well you don't have to," Jack answered, "But it would be a shame if the Jedi were warned in advance of your little invasion. However, I could prevent that from happening…"

"What exactly is it you want from us, umm…"

"The name's Jack. And what I need from you is for you to kill the three Luminos masters of this temple… I will take care of Carashi."

"Well you need not worry, Jack. It will be my pleasure. My brother's and sister will fall.

"Good. Once they're all dead I'm sure my master will take good care of you."

"Revenge is reward enough."

"I couldn't agree with you more…"

Jack smiled underneath his hood and the hologram faded out. Atredious slowly turned and began to walk away.

"I don't trust him," Ajunta said following after Atredious, "I've never seen that man before, he's certainly not one of ours…"

"No, he's not," Atredious answered slowly, "But we could always use an inside man. Look on the bright side Ajunta, if he betrays us we'll just kill him."

"I don't know," Ajunta said, "I've got a bad feeling about this…"

As the day began to wind down, Jack sat in the temple court yard meditating. The setting sun cast a warm glow over the city as the wind began to pick up. Miles made his way out into the courtyard and approached Jack where he sat.

"Excuse me, Jack."

"What is it?" Jack answered keeping his eyes closed.

"Carashi wanted me to tell you… Raina has just given birth… to a baby boy."

Jack opened one eye and looked up at Miles.

"Say what?"

"She's been in labor most of the day. She's resting now. Carashi just wanted to know if you would like to see the child."

Jack slowly opened his other eye and stood up off the ground.

"Actually, I would like to speak with Raina, if at all possible."

"Of course, follow me."

Miles led Jack into the temple and down to the medical room. Raina was resting in a bed, Carashi sitting besides her holding the new born baby in his arms. Carashi stood from his chair, his face lit up as Jack entered the room.

"Jack, there you are," Carashi said.

"She gave birth already," Jack said, "Isn't this a little sooner then expected?"

"A little," Carashi answered, "But the doctors say the baby should be just fine. Did you want to hold him?"

Jack recoiled, shaking his head.

"Oh well… no, I couldn't… I wouldn't know how…"

"Don't be silly," Carashi said, "It's easy."

Carashi gently handed over the baby to Jack whose face twisted. He almost couldn't bear to look at the infant.

"What's its name?" Jack asked.

"Alex," Carashi answered, "Raina picked it out."

"And how is she?"

"She'll be fine," Carashi said with a big yawn, "She just needs some rest."

"You look like you could use some rest too. Why don't you go get some sleep, I'll keep an eye on things down here."

"You're probably right. Thanks Jack. You'll come get me if anything happens?"

"Of course."

Carashi smiled and nodded. He slowly left the medical room. Jack carefully placed Alex into the bed next to Raina and sat down in the chair besides them.

Constans stood on the balcony outside of the temple that overlooked the city watching the sun set. Terentius came out to join him. He stood besides Constans admiring the skyline for a moment. There were dark clouds off on the horizon and flashes of lightning could be seen inside of them but there was no thunder. Aside from the wind all was strangely quiet.

"Quite a view," Terentius finally said.

"Indeed," Constans answered.

"Looks like there's a storm coming tonight."

"It's strange," Constans said, "Even with it on the horizon, everything seems so peaceful."

"It's the calm before the storm," Terentius answered. There was a pause where both men seemed to go off into their own little worlds.

"What do you make of what Carashi said?" Constans asked, "About the nightmares and the vision of Coruscant in flames?"

"I don't know. Premonitions of the future are always fraught with emotion. One must wonder if this conflict is truly to be waged here, or if it is simply a war within Carashi."

As the dark clouds grew ever closer they began to block out the sun and a long shadow was cast over the temple. The wind began to pick up as well.

"I'm not so sure," Constans said, "I just get the feeling that there's something he isn't telling us. After the way he left that cannot be the only reason he came all the way back here."

"You think he's in some sort of danger?"

"I can't say. It just doesn't add up…"

"I know what you mean," Terentius answered, "And there's something odd about that Jack fellow. I can't place my finger on it, he was extremely difficult to read… I just think we should keep an eye on him and Carashi."

As Terentius finished his sentence the first few drops of rain began to hit the balcony. A bright flash of lightning was followed by a clap of thunder and the skies opened up as the rain poured down on the city.

"Come on," Terentius said, "We'd better go inside."

Terentius turned to go inside but Constans didn't move. His eyes remained fixed out on the skies. Terentius stopped and turned his attention back to Constans.

"Constans, let's go. What are you looking… at…"

As Terentius looked up to the sky he saw it too. Dipping in though the clouds were what appeared to be hundreds of black ships, many of them dropping off troops who were all making their way toward the temple.

"Terentius, go get Eva and sound the alarm," Constans said calmly, never taking his eyes off of the ships, "Tell all the Knights to hurry to their posts… The storm is here."


	20. Judgment

"_You have seen much pain in your life, I know. But for me there is no pain. I cannot feel the sun on my face or the cold bite of winter... or even recall the touch of a loved one, lost. All I have is the hunger, and every day I struggle against it. That's what the life of an Intangible is... live or be consumed. But that is not even the worst part; hunger for all of time is something I can deal with. It is memory that makes a curse of eternity."_

_Luster_

**Chapter Twenty: Judgment**

A strike of lightning cut through the sky illuminating the throng of Sith as they made their march on the Jedi Temple. The Jedi pour out onto the steps to await the approaching army. Terentius stepped out in front of them and looked on at the hundreds of Sith now baring down upon the Jedi.

"Atredious?..." Terentius said to himself, "It cannot be…"

Terentius did not hesitate any longer, he unclipped the lightsaber from his belt and ignited it toward the sky. The Jedi behind him all ignited their lightsabers as well.

"Steady men!" Terentius yelled, "Wait for my signal!"

As the Sith reached the Temple gates they halted. In unison they each reached for their crudely fashioned lightsabers and ignited them, the blades glowing blood red.

"For the Jedi!" Terentius shouted as he twirled his lightsaber above his head, "Charge!"

Terentius sprinted forward and the Jedi did so as well. The Sith charged through the gates and the two armies collided in the courtyard in front of the temple. Immediately it was a blood bath, the two sides hacking each other apart with their lightsabers. Terentius leapt head long into the fray, skillfully spinning his lightsaber all about cutting down nearly anything that moved around him.

Meanwhile, in the hanger, Constans rushed all of the Jedi pilots to their fighters. As he entered the air traffic control room he found one of the Jedi struggling to piece back together the fried remains of the equipment.

"What happened here?" Constans asked.

"Someone fried the circuitry, a complete overload of electricity. The controls simply exploded."

"So our fighters are flying blind?"

"I'm afraid so sir."

Constans immediately turned to exit the room.

"Master, where are you going?"

"To my fighter. If I can't help them from down here then I'm going up there."

Constans hurried into the hanger and jumped into the last of the fighters. As he pulled out of the hanger Constans could see the chaotic flashing lights from the saber battle down below. Constans passed through the thick cloud cover and emerged on the other sided face to face with the Sith fleet and their massive Capital ship.

"Green two, do you read me?" Constans said into his communicator.

"Loud and clear Green Leader."

"The enemy fleet has taken up a position in the upper atmosphere, set all power to front deflector shields. If we're going in, we're going in full bore, nothing half assed!"

"Copy that Green Leader."

As the Jedi approached the Sith fleet, suddenly a swarm of fighters came pouring out at them, peppering them with laser fire.

"Here they come!" Constans shouted, "Give me some covering fire, I'm going in towards the big one."

"Careful Green Leader, you wander off you're gonna find yourself out numbered real fast."

"You just worry about those fighters! Green three, Green four, follow me."

Constans' fighter flanked by the two others broke off from the main group and headed for the _Heaven's Wrath_. On the bridge of the massive capital ship, Atredious watched as the two fleets engaged each other.

"My lord," Salasaar said coming up behind Atredious, "Ajunta and the Sith have met the Jedi on the surface. The enemy has taken massive casualties."

"Have they entered the temple yet?" Atredious asked.

"Yes, Lord Atredious."

"Good. Prepare my shuttle."

"As you wish…"

Back on the planet's surface, inside the medical room, Raina was jolted awake by the sound of an explosion. She began to frantically look all around when Jack suddenly entered the room.

"Jack!" Raina yelled, "What's going on? Where's Alex!?"

"Don't worry," Jack said, "I had Miles take him to a safe place, atop the temple spire. We have to get you out of here now my dear, the temple is under attack."

"Attack? Where's Carashi?"

Jack was silent and he looked away from Raina. She began to grow concerned and tugged on Jack's arm.

"Nothing's happened to him, has it? Jack, tell me!"

"Very well," Jack answered, "But it will not be easy for you to hear."

"What is it!?"

"It would seem that Carashi has deceived us all…"

Raina leaned back in her bed, a bewildered look on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"As we speak this temple is under attack by the Samasu… Carashi apparently lead them here himself."

"How could you say that!?" Raina asked, "Carashi would never do such a thing!"

"I know how you feel Raina, I too did not want to believe it. I suppose I am partially to blame, I should've spoken up when I found this in one of his robes…"

Jack slowly reached into his robes and pulled out the hilt of Carashi's katana, the blade having been broken off.

"No…" Raina uttered in disbelief shaking her head from side to side.

"He made me swear to keep it a secret," Jack explained, "He didn't want you to know. And like a fool I trusted him."

"He… he couldn't have…"

"I know this is a lot to take in Raina, but we have to get out of here. We must return to Chinine as soon as possible. If Carashi finds out that I've told you he will surely kill us both."

"I can't!" Raina shouted. She hoped out of her bed and quickly put on her Kumori robes, "I can't leave without Alex." As Raina headed for the door Jack stopped her.

"Better take this with you." Jack said handing Raina a lightsaber.

"Thank you Jack… I'll meet you at the hanger."

Outside the Jedi Temple, the rain water that had pooled in the courtyard was now red with blood. The bodies of countless Jedi were strewn about and inside the temple the few that remained struggled desperately to hold back the advancing Sith. Inside the King's old throne room Eva hid with the younglings, the doors locked tight. Suddenly there was a loud banging at the door. Eva ignited her lightsaber and stepped in front of the younglings.

"Get back!" She yelled, "And stay down…"

The banging on the door stopped for a moment. Then suddenly it was ripped off its hinges by the force. Standing in the doorway was Terentius.

"Terentius!" Eva yelled.

"Eva, there you are," Terentius said, "Thank Lucias you're safe. Where is Constans?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen him since this whole mess began. You don't think he's…"

"I sure hope not. Come on Eva, we have to go. It's not safe here anymore."

As Terentius led Eva to the door, suddenly Ajunta Pall stepped in front of the exit.

"Going somewhere?" Ajunta asked with a cocky tone in his voice. Terentius immediately summoned his lightsaber to his hand and ignited the blade.

"Get outta my way, Ajunta!" Terentius shouted.

"What's the hurry big brother? This party's just getting started."

Dressed in dark black armor, Atredious stepped around Ajunta and into the room. Terentius motioned for Eva to get back.

"Did you miss me?"

"Atredious… how could you have stooped this low?" Terentius asked, "So many innocent lives!"

"Innocent? Hardly. They are suffering for your crimes and now it is time that you paid. You and your brats!"

"You will not touch them!" Eva shouted.

"Heh heh heh," Atredious chuckled to himself coldly, "Oh no? Ajunta!"

"Yes master?"

"Take care of my sister… and the children."

"As you wish…" Ajunta answered with a sickly smile on his face.

Terentius suddenly charged at them. Atredious stepped aside, grabbing Terentius with the force and tossing him back out into the hallway. Atredious slowly followed him and watched as he struggled back to his feet in an attempt to make it back into the throne room. Atredious casually lifted the door off of the ground with the force and slammed it back into place before Terentius could reenter.

"You have bigger problems now, brother." Atredious said.

"I don't know what you're trying to achieve," Terentius said, "But no matter what happens here today, you cannot possibly win."

"I fight for our father's dream!" Atredious shouted back, "You were always jealous of him! Of me!"

"My father is dead… and my brother died with him."

In a rage Atredious ignited his lightsaber and dove forward at Terentius who parried his blow and force pushed him back, knocking him down. Terentius then leapt high up into the air and plunged his lightsaber downward at Atredious who quickly rolled aside. Atredious jumped back to his feet and unleashed a force storm at Terentius that blasted his lightsaber from his hand. As Terentius turned to summon his saber back, Atredious hit him again with another force storm. This one hit him from behind and he was powerless to block it.

"Your ignorance has cost you…" Atredious said as he pummeled his brother with lightning, "Now you will experience first hand the true horrors of the dark side."

Atredious doubled the output of his force storm, putting everything he had behind it. Terentius was knocked flat on the ground and as Atredious finally let up, Terentius lay twisting in pain.

"In the end… we're all dead men." Atredious said, "And now my brother, you will die…"

As Terentius lay on the ground in unimaginable pain, he noticed his lightsaber sitting across from him. With all the strength he could muster, Terentius ignited it through the force and sent it at Atredious. Atredious stuck out his hand and stopped the lightsaber, then snatched it out of the air. Terentius struggled back to his feet but then immediately fell to his knees.

"Pathetic…" Atredious muttered.

"It doesn't end here…" Terentius gasped, "This will be the end for you… but not for me…"

Atredious scowled at Terentius and walked up behind him, pointing his lightsaber downward. Atredious then ignited it, the blue blade shot out slicing through the back of Terentius' neck and out his chest. Atredious turned off the lightsaber and Terentius keeled over.

"I'm sorry brother, but you lost the faith."

As Atredious turned to walk away Terentius' body slowly vanished leaving only his robes.

Meanwhile, inside the throne room, Eva stood between Ajunta Pall and the younglings with her lightsaber ignited.

"Take one more step and you die." Eva said.

"Good," Ajunta snarled back, "You have anger, but you lack the will to do what must be done. That is what makes you weak."

"Try me," Eva answered raising her lightsaber.

Ajunta smiled and slowly wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his new katana. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest and the room began to grow dark. As Ajunta unsheathed the blade he could hear the voice in his head again. Almost unconsciously he chanted the words aloud.

"_No in atrum; addo vita ut Moujuu…_" (Forged in darkness; bring life to Anemos)

Ajunta's eyes started to glow red and Eva didn't hesitate to attack. She swung her lightsaber at Ajunta who suddenly raised his katana. To Eva's surprise the katana was actually able to block her lightsaber. The blade howled as she pressed her saber against it, almost as if it were alive. Ajunta smiled and shoved Eva back with unnatural strength. The younglings could only look on in horror as Ajunta slowly gained the upper hand. Finally one of Ajunta's slashes caught the hilt of Eva's lightsaber and severed it in two. As Eva scrambled backwards a wicked smile spread over Ajunta's face. He reached out with his arm and suddenly a red stream of light shot out from Eva and into Ajunta's hand as he drained away her life force.

"Get away from her!" One of the younglings shouted charging at Ajunta. He turned his head and squinted his eyes, flinging the child back with the force.

Ajunta then discontinued his life drain and placed his blade at Eva's throat. As a drop of blood hit the sword the energy became electric. The voices in his head began shouting all around him. Ajunta clinched the hilt tightly, his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Ajunta jerked his arm backwards and slit Eva's throat, the blood spraying out everywhere. As Eva fell to the ground Ajunta stood motionless admiring what he had done. Slowly he turned towards the children, blood covering his hands and his face.

Raina entered the top of the center spire that was almost completely dark, only being lit by the constant strikes of lightning outside the windows and the fires burning in the city. Inside the chambers though it was eerily quite as Raina looked around nervously for Miles and Alex. Suddenly a voice called out from behind her.

"Raina…"

Startled, Raina spun around and ignited the green lightsaber that Jack had given her. I emerged slowly from the shadows.

"Stay back!" Raina shouted.

"Raina, what's wrong?" I asked, "You need to come with me, where it's safe."

"How could you…" Raina said still pointing her lightsaber at me, "How?"

"What do you mean?"

"I saw your sword, Carashi."

I could feel my heart sink as I listened to her words.

"You don't understand, Raina," I said, "It's not what you think."

"Then you didn't kill my father?"

"I… I don't know… possibly…"

"Possibly?"

"I can't explain it," I said, "The sword, my dream… it seemed so real. I never meant to hurt anyone…"

Raina stared at me, tears rolling down her cheeks. She raised her lightsaber once again.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"My father deserved better," Raina answered, "And so does my son."

"Raina, you don't have to do this."

Raina shook her head and suddenly lurched forward swinging her lightsaber. I quickly ignited mine and blocked the strike. As she continued to swing her lightsaber at me I continued to simply block, putting forth no effort to attack.

"Please, don't make this anymore painful then it already is," Raina said.

"Raina," I said pleading with her, "You have to trust me… I love you."

"I… loved you too…"

I felt as if I had just been stabbed in the heart. I clinched my eyes shut tightly to try and hold back the tears, but it was to no avail.

"Then do what you must…" I finally said.

As Raina came forward again, this time I retreated until my back was pressed up against the window. As she took a swing I quickly ducked and the blade of her saber struck the glass, shattering it. A tremendous vacuum of wind sucked all of the air out of the room. I clung to one of the chairs that was bolted to the ground, but Raina was sucked out.

"Nooooo!" I let go of the chair and dove after her, grabbing the side of the window frame with one arm and Raina with the other. The wind and rain swirled all around us and I began to lose my grip on both the window frame and Raina.

"Raina! Hang on!" I shouted. I tried to pull her up but the glass that was still sticking out of the frame was digging into my arm, "I got you, but you need to pull yourself up!"

"I-I can't…" Raina said, "I'm slipping."

"Raina, don't leave me. You have to try!"

I tried to pull her up again with all my strength but the glass just sliced my arm.

"I'm so sorry Carashi…"

I looked back down at Raina and into her eyes. Then suddenly her hand slipped away from mine and she disappeared into the storm.

I pulled myself back away from the window, sitting in the broken glass vigorously shaking my head.

"No… no, no, no," I said to myself, "Not again. Please Lucias don't do this happen to me again!"

I began to lose control when a sudden flash of lightning revealed I was not alone in the room. A figure in dark robes stood on the far side. He slowly stepped out of the shadows. It was Jack.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… what a pity that she had to die in such a way," Jack said calmly "But at least she put up a good fight. I wish I could say the same for her father…"

A cold shiver ran down my spine as it suddenly all hit me. I felt ill. I slowly looked up at Jack in disbelief.

"It was you?" I barely choked out, "How could you? I trusted you!"

Jack's expression remained stoic as he stared down at me.

"Well you won't make that mistake again," He answered.

"Why?" I asked, "Why Raina!?"

"Young fool… The old man tried to warn you, didn't he?"

"I… this wasn't my destiny. This isn't how things were supposed to be!"

"Still running from your past… Tell me, son of Akari, what do you feel when you look at the full moon?"

Jack smiled at me as I slowly stood back to my feet. Raina had asked me that before, I still didn't know how to answer.

"Do you know why you are afraid when you look into the light?" Jack asked. I shook my head, "I do…" He said.

Jack then unclipped the top button on his robe and let it slide off. He was wearing black leather armor underneath. Then from behind his back, slowly two black wings unfolded. The wings spanned out stretching almost the length of the room.

"You can't be…" I said in almost a whisper.

"Can't be what? Intangible? We aren't so different Carashi, you and I. We both see past the lies that have been woven before us, past the deception. We can see the truth."

"What truth?"

"That there is no hope for this galaxy, Carashi. There never was. Shokun and the Samasu shall reawaken Anemos, and when they do all the anger, all the hatred, all the darkness that has festered in this galaxy shall be turned against that which created it, and the galaxy will destroy itself, completely and utterly…"

"If you know this… then why help them!?"

"Life is defined by pain, you know this better then anyone Carashi. But that is not my curse. The gods grant peace to the dead, but for those who cannot die there is no peace!"

Jack began to shake his head and laugh maniacally to himself.

"You don't understand…" He growled, "You can't understand… the hunger! No matter how much I feed… it only gets worse and there's nothing that can stop it. I don't want it anymore! And if this universe has to go down with me… then so be it."

A lightsaber floated up from Jack's belt and into his hand and a red blade shot out of it. Jack pointed the blade at me and I too ignited my lightsaber.

"The blood is the seal," Jack explained, "And once the Luminos are dead this galaxy will fall! Fear the light Carashi, it cannot save you now!"

I clinched my lightsaber tightly and lunged forward at Jack. He stuck out his hand and the force exploded outward like a canon ball, hitting me like a punch in the face and driving me backward. I stumbled back to my feet and Jack was right over me. He moved with almost impossible speed and agility, dodging and countering my every advance. Finally I was able to clash my lightsaber with his, but he shoved me back with one arm as if I were a child. I scrambled to get up again but he kicked the lightsaber from my hand and grabbed me by the face, lifting me off the ground.

"Didn't your father ever teach you?" Jack taunted, "You can't kill a god."

Jack then unleashed a hellish force lightning from point blank range right into my face. There was an enormous flash and then all at once the lights went out. With my eye sight gone all I could feel was the flesh burning around my eyes. But then suddenly there was more. I could feel the force flowing all around me. I could see Jack as plain as day, the force was everywhere. I could sense that my lightsaber was on the ground beside me. Without even turning to it I summoned it to my hand and ignited it. As I caught the lightsaber I spun it quickly and severed Jack's arm. He stumbled backward and I leapt forward. Sensing his movements perfectly I plunged my lightsaber into his chest and then pulled it out again, causing him to fall to the floor.

"Good," Jack shouted at me, "Use your anger!"

"Shut up!" I yelled back. As I pointed my lightsaber at him I could feel the warmth of my own blood running down my face from my eyes which were horribly scarred, "You've taken everything from me!"

"And what are you going to do?" Jack asked, "Kill me?" As Jack spoke I could sense through the force that his wounds were rapidly healing.

"I'm not going to kill you…" I said turning off my lightsaber. I turned away from Jack and began to leave.

"What's wrong with you, you freak!?" Jack shouted after me, "You can't stop it now Carashi, you're too late!"

I paused in the doorway.

"To save Raina… yes. But to save the Luminos… there is still hope."

I ripped a strip of cloth off of my sleeve and tied it around my eyes as a blindfold. Then I disappeared into the shadows, leaving Jack alone atop the spire.

Above Coruscant the Jedi fighters were in serious trouble. The swarms of Sith fighters had overwhelmed the Jedi while Constans continued his assault on the _Heaven's Wrath_.

"Green three, get over here!" Constans shouted, "I need some cover, now!"

"I'm coming Green Leader, just gimme some time to… AHHH!..."

Off of Constans left wing he could see Green three explode.

"For the love of… isn't there anyone left!?"

"We're taking it bad here Green Leader. We have to fall back!"

"We can't!" Constans shouted, "We have to take down that capital ship!"

"But sir, our fire power just simply isn't doing enough damage. It's useless."

"There's more then one way to take down a ship! Green two, get your men outta here. And see if you can take some of those fighters with you."

"You sure about that?"

"I'm sure."

"Roger that Green Leader. Alright you heard him boys, pull back!"

As the rest of the fleet began to pull back, Constans continued to plow forward. The Sith however were not fooled and continued to pursue Constans. The full might of the Sith fleet began to rain down on Constans and his ship took heavy damage. A direct hit on his right wing sent Constans' ship spiraling out of control.

"You sons of bitches!" Constans yelled, "You aren't taking me down without a fight!"

Constans ship began spiraling toward the bridge of the _Heaven's Wrath_. Salasaar was scrambling to organize his men.

"Shoot him down! Shoot him down!" Salasaar shouted. As he turned to the window again he saw the ship bearing down upon him.

Constans closed his eyes and let go of the controls. His fighter slammed into the bridge with a tremendous fire ball. The _Heaven's Wrath_ slowly began to founder and fall towards the planet's surface.

As the ship crashed into the jungles outside of the city it exploded and shook the ground fiercely. Inside the temple the shaking caught Atredious' attention in the main hall. The Sith were finishing off the last of the Jedi and the temple was littered with their bodies. Ajunta slowly approached Atredious to join him, still stained with blood.

"Jack's late," Atredious said with his arms folded, "Where in the name of Lucias is that pirate!?"

"Jack sends his apologies, but he will be unable to attend this party!"

All the Sith in the main hall looked up onto the balcony where I was standing, the blindfold over my eyes and the blood still running down my cheeks.

"It's him…" Atredious grumbled.

"He should not have come back!" Ajunta shouted unsheathing his blade.

"Foolish human," Atredious yelled up at me, "Do you really think you can take us all?"

"You'd be surprised how little you actually know about humans…" I answered, "And who ever said I was one?"

"Hmph! You always did have a special knack for irritating me, freak! With your death there will be no one left to stop me!"

"Freak? Your lack of control over your emotions is your weakness. My name is Carashi of Shadows. Now come, if you wish to die!"

"Kill him!"

I ignited my lightsaber and jumped down from the balcony, suddenly I was surrounded by the Sith. I could feel each of them and as they came at me. I dodged their attacks, slashing each of them as they ran past. I then jumped high up over their heads and landed behind them. I clasped my hands together and the force began to swirl all around me. From the shadows it manifested itself in my form.

"Shadow clones…" Atredious muttered. "Impressive. Most impressive."

Soon there were seven clones who charged forward at the Sith and began to cut them down. As the Sith cut through the clones they simply vanished into thin air.

When the last Sith sliced through the last shadow clone, I casually walked up behind him and plunged my lightsaber into his back. He collapsed to the floor and it was just me, Ajunta and Atredious.

"Your move." I said.

"Ajunta!" Atredious yelled, "Crush him!"

"No…"

"What did you say!?"

"I said no," Ajunta answered, "This is your battle. I cannot interfere… my lord."

"Looks like you're gonna have to do your own dirty work Atredious."

"Fine!" Atredious shouted using the force to shove Ajunta back and slam him against the wall, "I don't need you! I don't need anyone!"

Atredious ignited his lightsaber and beckoned me to attack.

"Come."

We both dashed forward at the same time and our lightsabers slammed together. As Atredious swung his saber at me I matched him blow for blow, sensing where all of his next movements would be. He then shoved me back with the force and raised his arm. I could see the darkness course through him and then eventually shoot out of his finger tips in the form of lightning. I simply lowered my lightsaber and stuck out my hand. The lightning was drawn into my palm and I began to absorb the energy. Then, in one large burst, I blasted the energy back at him. The lightning shot in every direction, obliterating support columns and sending Atredious crashing to the floor.

The temple began to shake as the support beams crumbled.

"I… I can't move!" Atredious shouted, "My whole body's numb. You have to get me out of here!"

I smiled at Atredious. I turned off my lightsaber and simply turned to walk away.

"You can't leave me here! Carashi!"

Just then the shaking brought Ajunta back to his senses. He hurried over to Atredious who was lying on the ground.

"Ajunta! Help me up, we need to get out of here!"

Ajunta slowly looked at his blade, then at Atredious. He then pointed the blade downward towards the Sith Lord.

"No."

Ajunta thrust the blade down through Atredious' chest and pulled it out.

"Sorry master," Ajunta said, "But you lost the faith."

Ajunta left Atredious in the temple as it began to come down all around him. Atredious was still sputtering out words to his last breath.

"I'm sorry father… I won't fail you… I can't… fail…."

From outside the temple I stood silently as it all came crumbling down. Raina… Alex… How could I have let this happen? As the temple finally came down the rain suddenly let up. The clouds parted and the full moon shone through. Even though I could no longer see it, I swear I could feel it. And I wasn't afraid anymore…

Elsewhere in the galaxy, a lone Jedi shuttle exited hyperspace over a remote planet called Naboo. The shuttle came to a landing outside of a small farm house. A woman exited the house and as the hatch opened, Miles Drake appeared with a baby boy in his arms.

"Miles! You're back!"

"Hello Elora," Miles said.

"Where did you get this baby?"

"His parents were killed on Coruscant," Miles said, "I couldn't just leave him there, I had to take him with me. This is the only place I knew he'd be safe."

"You want to keep him?"

"He has no place else to go…"

Elora smiled and took the baby from Miles. As she smiled at him, Alex smiled back.

"What's his name?"

"Alex," Miles answered.

"Well he must be starving after such a long trip. Come on; let's take him inside out of the cold…"

Back in the wilderness of Chinine, I sat alone by the stream bathing in the light of the full moon. I'm not afraid anymore. And perhaps that was the greatest gift she gave me. It's a terrible thing, to live in fear. All my life I had hated them for what they had done to me. I allowed anger and self pity to fill my heart and I became exactly what they wanted me to become; a recluse… alone. Accepting death is the first step toward peace… I understand that now. It took the lives of those I held most dear for me to finally realize who I am. I am Carashi of Shadows, and I am the last of the Luminos.

_Star Wars Theme Plays_

_**Credits**_

_**Written by phillyflyer**_

**_Cast of Characters _**(In order of appearance)

_Atredious  
Isaac  
Ludovicus  
Marcus  
Felix  
Sylvanus  
Terentius  
Constans  
Eva  
Carashi_

_Carashi's mother  
Splin Cell  
Ajunta Pall  
James Cell V  
Jurran Reed  
Anjuu  
Anemos  
Raina  
Miles Drake  
Senshi  
Jack Razor  
Shokun  
Salasaar  
Alex  
Elora_

_**Special Thanks…**_

**_Mathew Landers _**– For inspiring the character Carashi.

**_Shadow Walker_** – For inspiring the character Jack Razor.

**_Nex_** – For inspiring the character Splin Cell.

**_John Goodacre _**– For moral support.

**_Tim June_** – For encouraging me to write this story in the first place.

**_Everyone still reading this_** – I admire your commitment.

**_And of course, George Lucas_** – For making it all possible a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

**To be Continued…**

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/2006/originsendja0.jpg


End file.
